






n 



HA 



Edited 



House l 

Pain 

Contents 

used by Pai 

Whitewashi 

Embellishm 

Boot Ma 

Finis 

Contents 

Re-Welting 

Stitching. 

and Shoes. 

HOW to V 

and I 

Contents 

writer's Oul 

Forms of ] 

Ticket-Writ 




Pass T^r . 

Book A\ ^ 



ES. 



"Work.' 



CHANGING, 

etc. Tools 
a Painting, 
ng a Room. 

sting, and 

and Shoes. 
Sewing and 
veted Boots 



Engravings 

The Sign- 
The Simpler 
Signboard. 

Polishing. 



Wood Fii 

With 

Contents ling Wood. 

French Poli id Spiriting 

Off. Glazinj (Le-polishing 

and Revivhi 6 . i^u uiu F1 »> % v» u<.«uuuwui«s%.. i.wuuuuui * icors Stains. 
Piocesses of Varnishing Wood Varnishes.- Re-polishing Shop Fronts. 
Dynamos and Electric Motors. With 142 Engravings and Diagrams 

Contents. — Introduction. Siemens Dynamo. Gramme Dynamo. Manchester 
Dynamo. Simplex Dynamo. Calculating the Size and Amount of Wire for 
Small Dynamos. Ailments of Small Dynamo Electric Machines : their Causes 
and Cures. Small Electro-motors without Castings. How to Determine the 
Direction of Rotation of a Motor. How to Make a Shutt'e-Armature Motor. 
Undertype 50- Watt Dynamo. Manchester Type 440- Watt Dynamo. 
Cycle Building: and Repairing;. With 142 Engravings and Diagrams. 

Contents. — Introductory, and Tools Used. How to Build a Front Driver. 
Building a Rear-driving Safety. Building Tandem Safeties. Building Front- 
driver Tricycle. Building a Hand Tricycle. Brazing. How to Make and Fit 
Gear Cases. Fittings and Accessories. Wheel Making. Tyres and Methods 
of Fixing them. Enamelling. Repairing. 

Decorative Designs of All Ages -for All Purposes. With 277 
Engravings and Diagrams. 

Contents. — Savage Ornament. Egyptian Ornament. Assyrian Ornament. 
Greek Ornament. Roman Ornament. Early Christian Ornament. Arabic 
Ornament. Celtic and Scandinavian Ornaments. Mediaeval Ornament. 
Renascence and Modern Ornaments. Chinese Ornament. Persian Ornament. 
Indian Ornament. Japanese Ornament. 
Mounting; and Framing Pictures. With 240 Engravings, etc 

Contents. — Making Picture Frames. Notes on Art Frames. Picture Frame 
Cramps. Making Oxford Frames. Gilding Picture Frames. Methods of 
Mounting Pictures. Making Photograph Frames. Frames covered with Plush 
and Cork. Hanging and Packing Pictures. 
Smiths' Work. With 211 Engravings and Diagrams. 

Contents. — Forges and Appliances. Hand Tools. Drawing Down and Up- 
setting. Welding and Punching. Conditions of Work : Principles of Forma- 
tion. Bendin? and Ring Making. Miscellaneous Examples of Forged Work. 
Cranks, Model Work, and Die Forging. Home-made Forges. The Manipula- 
tion of Steel at the Forge. (Continued on next page.) 

DAVID McKAY, Publisher, 1022 Market Street, Philadelphia. 



HANDICRAFT SERIES (continued). 

Glass Working by Heat and Abrasion. With 300 Engravings 
and Diagrams. 

Contents. — Appliances used in Glass Blowing. Manipulating Glass Tubing. 
Blowing Bulbs and Flasks. Jointing Tubes to Bulbs forming Thistle Funnels, 
etc. Blowing and Etching Glass Fancy Articles ; Embossing and Gilding Flat 
Surfaces. Utilising Broken Glass Apparatus ; Boring Holes in, and Riveting 
Glass. Hand-working of Telescope Specula. Turning, Chipping, and Grinding 
Glass. The Manufacture of Glass. 
Building Model Boats. With 168 Engravings and Diagrams. 

Contents. — Building Model Yachts. Rigging and Sailing Model Yachts. 
Making and Fitting Simple Model Boats. Building a Model Atlantic Liner. 
Vertical Engine for a Model Launch. Model Launch Engine with Reversing 
Gear. Making a Show Case for a Model Boat. 

Electric Bells, How to Make and Fit Them. With 162 En- 
gravings and Diagrams. 

Contents. — The Electr c Current and the Laws that Govern it. Current 
Conductors used in Electric-Bell Work. Wiring for Electric Bells. Elaborated 
Systems of Wiring ; Burglar Alarms. Batteries for Electric Bells. The Con- 
struction of Electric Bells, Pushes, and Switches. Indicators for Electric-Bell 
Systems. 
Bamboo Work. With 177 Engravings and Diagrams. 

Contents. — Bamboo : Its Sources and Uses. How to Work Bamboo. Bamboo 
Tables. Bamboo Chairs and Seats. Bamboo Bedroom Furniture. Bamboo 
Hall Racks and Stands. Bamboo Music Racks. Bamboo Cabinets and Book- 
cases. Bambco Window Blinds. Miscellaneous Articles of Bamboo. Bamboo 
Mail Cart. 
Taxidermy. With 108 Engravings and Diagrams. 

Contents. — Skinning Birds. St.ffing and Mounting Birds. Skinning and 
Stuffing Mammals. Mounting Animals' Horned Heads : Polishing and Mount- 
ing Horns. Skinning, Stuffing, and Casting Fish. Preserving, Cleaning, and 
Dyeing Skins. Preserving Insects, and Birds' Eggs. Cases for Mounting 
Specimens. 
Tailoring 1 . With 180 Engravings and Diagrams. 

Contents. — Tailors' Requisites and Methods of Stitching. Simple Repairs 
and Pressing. Relining, Repocketing, and Recollaring. How to Cut and 
Make Trousers. How to Cut and Make Vests. Cutting and Making Lounge 
and Reefer Jackets. Cutting and Making Morning and Frock Coats. 
Photographic Cameras and Accessories. Comprising How to 
Make Cameras, Dark Slii es, Shutters, and Stands. With 160 
Illustrations. 

Contents. — Photographic Lenses and How to Test them. Modern Half-plate 
Cameras. Hand and Pocket Cameras. Ferrotype Cameras. Stereoscopic 
Cameras. Enlarging Cameras. Dark Slides. Cinematograph Management. 

Optical Lanterns. Comprising The Construction and Management 
of Optical Lanterns and the Making ok Slides. With 160 
Illustrations. 
Contents. — Single Lanterns. Dissolving View I anterns. Illuminant for 
Optical Lanterns. Optical Lantern Accessories. Conducting a Limelight 
Lantern Exhibition. Experiments with Optical Lanterns. Painting Lantern 
Slides. Photographic Lantern Slides. Mechanical Lantern S.ides. Cinemato- 
graph Management. 

Engraving Metals. With Numerous Illustrations. 

Contents. — Introduction and Terms used. Engravers' Tools and their Uses. 
Elementary Exercises in Engraving. Engraving Plate and Precious Metals. 
Engraving Monograms. Transfer Processes of Engraving Metals. Engraving 
Name Plates. Engraving Coffin Plates. Engraving Steel Plates. Chasing 
and Embossing Metals. Etching Metals. 

Basket Work. With 189 Illustrations. 

Contents.— Tools and Materials. Simple Baskets. Grocer's Square Baskets. 
Round Baskets. Oval Baskets. Flat Fruit Baskets. Wicker Elbow Chairs. 
Basket Bottle-casings. Doctors' and Chemists' Baskets. Fancy Basket Work. 
Sussex Trug Basket. Miscellaneous Basket Work. Index 

DAVID McKAY, Publisher, 1022 Market Street, Philadelphia. 



HANDICRAFT SERIES {continued). 

Bookbinding. With 125 Engravings and Diagrams. 

Contents. — Bookbinders' Appliances. Folding Printed Book Sheets. Beat- 
ing and Sewing. Rounding, Backing, and Cover Cutting. Cutting Book Edges. 
Covering Books. Cloth-bound Books, Pamphlets, etc. Account Books, 
Ledgers, etc. Coloring, Sprinkling, and Marbling Book Edges. Marbling 
Book Papers. Gilding Book Edges. Sprinkling and Tree Marbling Book 
Covers. Lettering, Gilding, and Finishing Book Covers. Index. 
Bent Iron Work. Including Elementary Art Metal Work. With 
269 Engravings and Diagrams. 

Contents. — Tools and Materials. Bending and Working Strip Iron. Simple 
Exercises in Bent Iron. Floral Ornaments for Bent Iron Work. Candlesticks. 
Hall Lanterns. Screens, Grilles, etc. Table Lamps. Suspended Lamps and 
Flower Bowls. Photograph Frames. Newspaper Rack. Floor Lamps. 
Miscellaneous Examples. Index. 

Photography. With 70 Engravings and Diagrams. 

Contents.— The Camera and its Accessories. The Studio and Darkroom. 
Plates. Exposure. Developing and Fixing Negatives. Intensification and 
Reduction of Negatives. Portraiture and Picture Composition. Flashlight 
Photography. Retouching Negatives. Processes of Printing from Negatives. 
Mounting and Finishing Prints. Copying and Enlarging. Stereoscopic 
Photography. Ferrotype Photography. Index. 
Upholstery. With 162 Engravings and Diagrams. 

Contents.— Upholsterers' Materials. Upholsterers' Tools and Appliances. 
Webbing, Springing, Stuffing, and Tufting. Making Seat Cushions and Squabs. 
Upholstering an Easy Chair. Upholstering Couches and Sofas. Upholstering 
Footstools, Fenderettes, etc. Miscellaneous Upholstery. Mattress Making 
and Repairing. Fancy Upholstery. Renovating and Repairing Upholstered 
Furniture. Planning and Laying Carpets and Linoleum. Index. 
Leather Working. With 152 Engravings and Diagrams. 

Contents.— Qualities and Varieties of Leather. Strap Cutting and Making. 
Letter Cases and Writing Pads. Hair Brush and Collar Cases. Hat Cases. 
Banjo and Mandoline Cases. Bags. Portmanteaux and Travelling Trunks. 
Knapsacks and Satchels. Leather Ornamentation. Footballs. Dyeing 
Leather. Miscellaneous Examples of Leather Work. Index. 
Harness Making. With 197 Engravings and Diagrams. 

Contents. — Harness Makers' Tools. Harness Makers' Materials. Simple 
Exercises in Stitching. Looping. Cart Harness. Cart Collars. Cart Saddles. 
Fore Gear and Leader Harness. Plough Harness. Bits, Spurs, Stirrups, and 
Harness Furniture. Van and Cab Harness. Index. 
Saddlery. With 99 Engravings and Diagrams. 

Contents. — Gentleman's Riding Saddle. Panel for Gentleman's Saddle. 
Ladies' Side Saddles. Children's Saddles or Pilches. Saddle Cruppers, Breast- 
plates, and other Accessories. Riding Bridles. Breaking-down Tackle Head 
Collars. Horse Clothing. Knee-caps and Miscellaneous Articles. Repairing 
Harness and Saddlery. Re-lining Collars and Saddles. Riding and Driving 
Whips. Superior Set of Gig Harness. Index. 

Other Volumes in Preparation. 



DAVID McKAY, Publisher, 1022 Market Street, Philadelphia. 



WOfiK" HANDBOOKS. 



UPHOLSTERY 



UPHOLSTERY 



WITH NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS AND DIAGRAMS 



EDITED BY 

PAUL F< HASLUCK 

EDITOR OF "WORK" AND "BUILDING WORLD," 
AUTHOR OF " HANDYBOOKS FOR HANDICRAFTS," FTC. ETC. 



PHILADELPHIA 

DAVID McKAY, Publisher 

1022, MARKET STREET 
1904 









oO 



4-lxftt 



Q 

Q- 



00 

PEEFACE. 



-t 



This Handbook contains, in a form convenient for 
£ everyday use, a comprehensive digest of the knowledge of 
upholstery, scattered over more than twenty thousand 
columns of Work— one of the weekly journals it is 
my fortune to edit — and supplies concise information 
on the details of the subjects of which it treats. 

In preparing for publication in book form the mass 
of relevant matter contained in the volumes of Work, 
much had to be arranged anew. However, it may be 
stated that a great part of the contents of this 
Handbook consists substantially of matter contributed 
by a working upholsterer. 

Readers who may desire additional information 
respecting special details of the matters dealt with in 
this Handbook, or instructions on kindred subjects, 
should address a question to Work, so that it may 
be answered in the columns of that journal. 

P. N. HASLUCK. 

La Belle Sauvage, London, 
March, 1901 



CONTENTS. 



I. — Upholsterers' Materials 
II. — Upholsterers' Tools ... 

III. — Frames, Webbing, Springing, and Stuffing 
IV.— Making Seat Cushions and Squabs . 
V. — Upholstering an Easy Chair 
VI.— Upholstering Couches and Sofas 
VII.— Upholstering Footstools, Hassocks, etc. 
VIII. — Miscellaneous Upholstery . 
IX. — Mattress Making and Repairing . 
X.— Renovating and Repairing Upholsterec 

Furniture 

XL— Carpet Planning and Laying 

XII.— Linoleum Laying 

XI II— Fancy Upholstery .... 
Index . 



9 
21 
29 
47 
51 
60 
75 
81 
93 

115 
124 
137 
141 
157 



LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS. 



Fin. 1 


AGE 


rid. PAGE 


1.— Grooved Wire in Velvet 




43.— Tufted Chair Back . 


42 


Weaving 


12 


44.— Sewing Button to Chair 




2. — Lister Method of Producing 




Back 


43 


Velvet Pile .... 


12 


45.— Section of Tufted Chair 




3. — Weaving Crimp Coverings . 


13 


Back 


44 


4.— Packing Needle . 


21 


46.— Mattress Tuft . 


41 


"..— Stitching-up Needle . 


21 


47.— Chair Back with Laced 




6.— Half-moon Needle 


21 


Tufts 


45 


7.— Hand Knife 


22 


4S.— Marking Out Buttoning . 


46 


S. — Canterbury Claw Hammer . 


22 


40.— Cushion with Piped Seam- 




0. — Gimping Hammer 


22 


ing 


48 


10. — Upholsterer's Pincers 


23 


50. — Cushion with Plain, or 




11.— Stud Gauge. 


23 


Mocked Edging 


49 


12, 13.— Web Strainer. 


23 


51.— Upholstered Easy Chair . 


52 


14.— Web Strainer with Spikes . 


24 


52.— Webbed Chair Back show- 




15. — Web Strainer in Use . 


24 


ing Positions of Springs 


53 


10.— Parts of Web Strainer 


25 


53.— Springs on Chair Bolster 




17.— Regulator .... 


26 


Arm 


53 


IS.— Stuffing Stick 


26 


54.— Spring Secured with Pieces 




19.— Stuffing Stick for Mat- 




of Leather .... 


53 


tresses 


27 


55.— Chair Seat Springs Lashed 




20.— Top Part of Pair of Hand 




with Cord .... 


54 


Cards 


27 


56.— Seat Springs Covered with 




21.— Flock Teazer, or Willey . 


2S 


Hessian 


54 


22. — Grapple Hook 


2S 


57.— First Stuffing 


55 


•23.— Stuff-over Chair . 


20 


58— Blind Stitch in Chair Seat. 


55 


24.-»-Show-wood Chair 


30 


50.— Second Row of Stitching . 


56 


26. — Frame for Stuff-over Chair. 


31 


60.— Part of Chair Stuffed Up . 


57 


26. — Frame for Show-wood Chair 


31 


61. — Part of Chair Covered with 




27.— Dowel Joint 


32 


Calico 


58 


28.— Dovetail Mortise Joint 


32 


62— Back Bolster Stitched Up . 


58 


20.— Chair Framing . 


32 


63. —Serpentine - back Couch 




30.— Part of Crown-back Chair . 


33 


with German Arm . 


60 


31.— Ruberv's Chair Brace 


33 


64.— Couch with German 




32.— Reilly's Chair Bolt . 


34 


Bolster-arm .... 


61 


33.— Web Strainer in Use . 


35 


65.— Sofa with English Arms . 


61 


34.— Seat wilh Springs in Posi- 




66.— English and German Sofa 




tion 


36 


Arms 


62 


35.— Chair Bottom during Web- 




67.— Couch Bottom Frame, show- 




bing . . . . . 


37 


ing Position of Springs . 


63 


36.— Inside View of Webbed 




68.— Section of Couch Spring 




Chair Back . . . . 


38 


Seat 


65 


37. — Springs Sewn to Bottom 




69. — Section of Upholstered 




Cover of Couch 


3S 


Back Rail .... 


M 


38.— Stringing Alva in Edges of 




70.— Frame of Cushion-seat Sofa 


66 


Chair Seat . 


30 


71.— Flocks Secured with Twine 


67 


39.— Seat with First How of 




72.-Stufflng Sofa Back . 


67 


Stitching 1 .... 


39 


73.— Tying Button . . • . 


68 


40.— Blind stitch 


40 


74.— Section of Sofa-seat Cushion 


68 


■11. -Second Row of Stitching . 


40 


75. — Upholstered Coueh with 




42.— Third R..w of Stitching . 


41 


Bolster Arm .... 


69 



Upholstery. 



98. 

99. 
] 00, 

101. 
102. 

103. 

104 
105, 
106, 

108. 

3 09, 

110. 
1L1 
112, 

113. 

115. 
116. 

1L7. 



r,\GE 


FIG 


in 


118 


. 70 


119 


. 70 


120 


i. 71 


121 


. 71 




!i. 72 


122 


. 73 




. 73 


123 


. 75 


124 


. 76 


125. 



— Coucli Stuffing Rails 
Seat .... 
—Couch Stuffing Rails 
Head .... 
—Stuffing Drumhead Couch 
—Cromwell Couch . 
—Spring-seat Parlour Couch 
— Couch Head Frame . 
— Springing Couch Head 
— Upholstered Footstool 
—Stuffed Top of Stool . 
—Upholstered Fenderette 
-Horizontal Section of Fen- 
derette 

—Cross Section of Fenderette 
—Hassock .... 
90.— Hassock Stuffing Box . 
— Iron Skewer 
93.— Half Front Elevation 
and Section and End Eleva- 
tion of Settle .... 
—Webbing Bottom of Settle . 
—Section of Settle Seat before 
Stitching .... 
—Section of Settle Seat after 
Stitching .... 
—Section of Divan Settee 
— Underside of Music Stool 

Seat 

—Stitching Music Stool Seat 
—Section of Armchair Spring 

Seat 

— Upholstered Bar Seating . 
—Laths and Matchboarding 
to Support Cushion Seat 
—Moulding for Edges of 
Cushion Seat .... 
—Top of Mattress Case . 
—Section of Strapped Seam . 
107.— Arrangements of Mat- 
tress Tufts .... 
—Setting Out Tufting . 
— Section of Hair Mattress . 
—Blind-stitching . 
-Blind-stitching in Section . 
—Another Kind of Blind 
stitching. ... 
114.— Making the Blind 
stitch ..... 
— Box-spring Mattress Frame 106 
—Mattress Webs and Springs 107 
—Seaming Mattress Edge . 10S 



SO 



100 
101 
102 
102 

103 

103 



—Mattress Roll Edge . 
—Framed Spring Mattress 

Top 

—Guide Block 

— Spring - mattress Guide 
Blocks in Position. 
—Palliasse Frame with Front 
Removed .... 
—Front of Palliasse Frame . 
—Re-covering Chair Back 
—Repairing- Spring-bottomed 

Chair 

127.— Re-seating Chair with 
Cord .... US, 
—Carpet - planner's Room 

Plan 

— Plan of Bay Window . 
—Plan of Circular Window . 
— Mitering Carpet Border 
—Carpet Stretcher 
— Carpet Selvedges Turned 

in 

135.— Carpets Prepared for 

Sewing 

137.— Carpet Stretcher with 

Spikes 

—Draped Mantelboard . 
—Section of Mantelboard 
—Pattern for Festoon . 
—Mantelboard with Shoul- 
dered Valance 
— Fireplace Drapery 
—Fireplace Drapery 
—Pattern for Wing 
—Pattern for Swag 
— Stamped Rosette 
— Sewn Rosette 
—Curtain Band 
—Window Drapery 
— Method of Reeling Curtain 
— Window Drapery 
—Pattern for Pouffe 
—Portiere Drapery 
— Head of Parisian Bedstead. 
—Section of Stuffed Bcd- 

Head 

157.— Box Pleating 
—Bed Panels .... 
—Draped Piano 
—Festoon .... 
—Pulley Head 
— Lines and Weight Bar 



AGE 

10S 



10'.' 
110 



112 
113 

117 



124 
125 
125 
125 

128 



129 

131 
141 
142 
142 

142 
143 
144 
145 
115 
145 
140 
14(1 
147 
lis 
148 
149 
150 
151 

152 
152 
153 
154 
155 
150 
156 



UPHOLSTERY. 

CHAPTER I. 

upholsterers' materials. 

The object of this handbook is to treat the subject 
of upholstery so simply but so exhaustively that 
any person handy with tools can, from the instruc- 
tions here given, successfully upholster any piece of 
furniture, or repair furniture already upholstered. 
Upholsterers' work includes the hanging of fancy 
draperies and decorations, and the planning and 
laying of linoleum and carpets, and these matters 
will also be discussed. 

A start will be made with some notes on the 
materials used in upholstering furniture. 

Morocco leather, sometimes called levant, is a 
natural leather made from the skin of the goat. It 
is generally dyed a maroon, which is the most com- 
mon colour used in furniture coverings, and it is 
usually finished with a rough pebble grain, though 
samples often met with are embossed in various 
geometric patterns and richly gilt. It is tough, dur- 
able, pleasant to the touch, and soft and pliable. 

Roan skins are manufactured from sheep skins, 
and are d} r ed various colours. They are grained in 
imitation of almost any natural leather. They are 
often sold as real moroccos, to which they have a 
somewhat similar appearance, but they are not so 
durable though somewhat cheaper. Roan skins and 
moroccos are not large enough to cover a large chair 
seat or couch bottom ; consequently two or three 
skins have to be seamed together to get the re- 



io Upholstery. 

quired length. In this way furniture covered in 
real skins can easily be distinguished from (hose in 
leather cloths. 

Real morocco leather and roan skins are sold by 
the skin, according to size and quality, and the be- 
ginner will find them difficult to lay ; there is often 
much scheming to prevent waste, as only certain 
parts of a hide can be used. 

Carriage cloth is used considerably for covering 
medium-class furniture ; it is made in a variety of 
colours and textures, such as corduroys, Bedford 
cords, tweeds, diagonals, serges, etc., and varies in 
width from 27 in. to 54 in., and costs from Is. 6d. to 
4s. per yard. 

Hair cloth or hair seating is used to a large extent 
on ordinary couches and sofas, and cottage furni- 
ture. The horse-hair intended for this cloth is dyed 
black, and woven in hand looms with a black linen 
warp. The hair is soaked in water to make it supple, 
and put in one length at a time with a peculiar kind 
of shuttle. The weave is a kind of sateen, the weft 
or hair in this case being flushed to the surface. It 
is woven with a raw edge on each side, no selvedge 
being possible on account of the short length of the 
horse-hair. After leaving the loom the cloth is hot- 
rolled to give it a lustre. Hair-seating is made in 
widths varying from 16 in. to 30 in. It is a very 
strong, durable material, not liable to fade, but on 
account of its open texture catches a lot of dust. 
There are several cheap imitations which usually 
consist of black polished linen warp and weft, both 
plain and figured. 

American leather is largely used for cheap and 
medium-class work. It consists of a waterproof 
paste spread on calico, and can be obtained in 
almost any colour, and grained or embossed in a 
variety of patterns. In the trade it is known as 
A C leather (American-covered leather). This 
material is difficult for a beginner to by on properly, 



Upholsterers* Ma terials. i i 

being apt to kink and wrinkle unless carefully 
handled. 

Velvets embrace a large variety of materials, and 
their chief feature is their pile or nap surface. 
Stamped velvet is a plain velvet stamped or em- 
bossed in a rotary press with suitable designs. 
Common mixed goods go through this process, the 
better qualities, such as Genoa, friese, plush, etc., 
being figured in the weaving. There are several 
mock velvets, known as velveteen and plushette. 

Friese velvet is distinguished by its ground 
being covered with small loops left uncut. 

Utrecht velvet is made from mohair, the wool of 
the Angora goat ; it is heavier in pile and texture 
than the silk and mixed velvets, and is also cheaper. 
In conjunction with Wilton pile, a kind of carpet, 
it is often used for making velvet borders for furni- 
ture upholstered in saddle-bags. 

Velveteen is a short pile material, the weft and 
warp being composed of cotton. 

Wilton pile — French moquette — is sometimes 
used, but the heavy pile of the cloth prevents a neat 
appearance being obtained. 

Velvets are obtainable in 24-in. widths, and vary 
in price from 2s. to 10s. per yard. Saddle-bag 
coverings are made from Wilton-pile saddle squares, 
sometimes called moquette, and plain Utrecht vel- 
vet borders. Saddles can be bought in stock sizes 
of 18 in. and 22 in. square, and also extra large sizes 
for couch and settee seats, 27 in. wide. The velvet 
borders are seamed to the edges of the saddle-bags. 
Care should be taken in laying on saddle-bag 
coverings to get the squares parallel with the 
frames. Half-saddles are often used for small chair- 
backs and arms. 

In some velvets the pile surface is produced by 
inserting steel wires across the warp threads, these 
wires being secured b^Tthe raising and depression 
of the loom healds or harness, thus producing a shed 



I 2 



Upholstery 



or opening in the warp threads for the insertion of 
another wire. In Fig. 1, one of these wires is shown 
in section with warp threads thrown over and un- 
cut. The small groove at the top is for the insertion 




Fig-. 1. — Grooved Wire in Velvet Weaving-. 

of the velvet knife, which cuts the threads and 
allows the wire to be removed, the cut threads form- 
ing the pile surface. Terry piles have the loop left 
intact or cut in certain portions only, forming raised 
fig ares, etc. After cutting, the goods are sheared 
to get an even height of pile, and steamed to make 
the pile stand up. Another method of pile weaving 
much used for plushes, which are a variety of heavy 
silk pile velvets, is by producing two single pile 
fabrics at one operation, and without the use of 




Fig. 2. — Lister Method of Producing Velvet Pile. 

wires, this being part of the Lister patents. The 
cloth is woven as a double fabric with the weft yarn 
a (Fig. 2) interlacing from one to the other ; before 
leaving the loom this weft is cut in the centre by 



Upholsterers' Materials. 



l 3 



a mechanically operated knife shown at b, thus 
forming two separate fabrics ready for the finisher. 
The crimp coverings used in upholstery are made 
of cctton warp and weft, and are woven with two 
warps or beams. The bottom warp is white, and 
this makes the plain part; the top warp is blue, 
and makes the crimp stripe. In Fig. 3 A is the warp 
beam which contains the white yarn ; this is heavily 
weighted in the usual way with levers, etc. The 




Fig. 3. — Weaving Crimp Coverings. 

yarn from this warp passes over the lower rod of the 
bar bearer d. b is the crimp warp which contains 
the blue yarn ; this is very lightly braked with a 
chain and spring c, which is secured to the loom 
top. The top bearer rod is worked backward and 
forward by a lever and eccentric, the yarn being 
pulled off the top beam at treble the speed of the 
bottom. Owing to this slackness, the yarn forms 
itself into loops on the surface of the cloth, thus 
giving it a crimped appearance in the blue stripe 
only. The draughting is exactly the same as plain 



14 Upholstery. 

cloth — first and third, then second and fourth in 
healds, two ends in a dent. 

Damasks are rather expensive, as they are 
usually of silk. They are very richly ornamented, 
but are not much used at present. 

Brocades are made both in silk and wool. The 
figuring is raised slightly above the surface, which 
is not piled or cut. They are not very costly, and 
wear well. 

Irish terries are not much used at present. Terry 
has a very rich lustrous surface ; the pattern, gener- 
ally of a geometric nature, is of worsted warp and 
silk weft. It is a tough, warm material, and about 
the same price as velvet. 

Silk tapestry differs from other coverings in not 
being a woven fabric. It is made by a kind of 
embroidery process, the pattern being worked on a 
web foundation with needles instead of shuttles. 
It is very costly, and is mostly used for high-class 
drawing-room suites. The name tapestry is given 
to a large number of woven fabrics, some of which 
are merely cotton prints. A variety known as 
Gobelin tapestry is mostly imitations of pictures, 
etc., in silk. 

Cretonnes are printed twilled-cotton fabrics used 
for upholstered wicker-work furniture, breakfast- 
room suites, cheap cushions, dust covers, etc. They 
can be bought in widths of 27 in. upwards. 

Tabinet is a delicate kind of silk, usually water- 
marked by being subjected to pressure whilst damp. 
It is chiefly used in conjunction with silk damasks 
and brocades for Persian bedsteads and hangings. 

Repp corduroy is a kind of worsted or woollen 
cloth of a very stout, close texture. It is sometimes 
called railway cloth, from the fact that some of the 
railway companies use it as a covering for carriage 
seats and backs. It is a very strong, warm material, 
not expensive, and is made in various colours and 
patterns. 



Upholsterers' Materials. 15 

Serges, beavers, and tweeds are not very suitable 
for furniture coverings, but are largely used in up- 
holstering carriages, etc. 

For stuffing, curled horse-hair is the best material 
to use, but it has one disadvantage in that it is 
rather expensive. Several substitutes are sold, the 
following being the most important : Cocoanut fibre 
is a splendid material for getting firm edges : it 
should be of the clean, long-stapled variety, and 
not powdered. Algerian grass, dyed black, has 
much the same appearance as horse-hair, but is 
harsh and brittle. New Orleans moss and wild pine- 
apple fibre are also used as horse-hair substitutes. 
When horse-hair is burnt it leaves a black ash, 
whilst vegetable fibres burn to a light grey ash. 

Alva, a seaweed from the shores of southern 
Russia, the Baltic, and other places, is used in large 
quantities in the upholstering trade. It should be 
dry, as the damp green portions often seen in a bale 
of alva are liable to breed vermin. German alva is 
inferior to French, which is crisper and has more 
spring in it. The Dutch alva is the cleanest and 
most free from lumps. None of the vegetable fibres, 
however, is to be compared with hair, as they do 
not present the same amount of elasticity. Take a 
handful of each material and compress it ; good hair 
will expand again on pressure being removed, while 
the others will do so only to a very limited extent. 
In use, seats stuffed with them become hard and 
lumpy very soon, while hair retains its spring for a 
considerable time, though, of course, it eventually 
becomes matted. 

Cotton and woollen flocks were, until recently, 
almost exclusively used in the north of England 
for stuffing cheap furniture and beds. Flocks — 
short stapled, fluffy fibres — are the waste and fall- 
ings from the various machines used in preparing 
the threads for the looms and in finishing the cloth. 
There are several qualities and varieties of flocks, 



1 6 Upholstery. 

the best being those made in the operation of rais- 
ing or fulling fine woollen cloth. The cheapest are 
the screenings from the cotton-cleaning machines. 
There are also mixtures of cotton and wool, dyed 
and in natural colour. Flock makes a nice warm 
stuffing, but is inferior to the fibres mentioned above 
for making good edges. 

Kaising flocks are the short fibres torn from the 
surface of woollen cloth in the process of raising 
the nap or pile. 

Cutting flocks are thrown off in the operation of 
cutting or clipping the face of certain kinds of cloth ; 
these are cheap, usually very short in staple, and 
enter into the composition of flock wall-papers. 

Milling flocks are formed in the operation of mill- 
ing the surface of woollen fabrics. 

Noils are the short fibres of wool removed in the 
process of wool-combing. Noils and millings are 
almost pure wool, and command a good price ; they 
are chiefly used for woollen flock beds. 

Mill puff is cotton or a mixture of cotton and 
worsted waste, and is much used in stuffing cheap 
furniture. It is mostly the screenings or fallings 
from cotton, etc., thrown down during cleaning and 
burring. 

Mungo is prepared from woollen rags torn into 
short fibres. Wool extract is very similar to mun- 
go, but has all the vegetable matter extracted by a 
chemical process. In preparing flocks for the 
market, they are mixed or blended to produce the 
different qualities and colours. Cotton flocks, such 
as teazed or mill puff, are usually packed in bags 
of 56 lb., whilst woollen flocks are put up in 50-lb. 
bags. 

Flock manufacture is usually carried on as an 
adjunct to a woollen mill, the woollen waste being 
sorted on large wire grids, which allow the dust and 
powdered material to fall through. The better qual- 
ities are dyed, dried by heat, and passed into a 



Up hols te r /■: r s' Ma teria ls. 17 

"willpwing" machine, which beats and opens all 
the fibres. They are then passed into a curling 
machine, and blown out by compressed air, and 
afterwards packed in 50-lb. bags for the market. 

The machine used by upholsterers for dressing 
flocks is known as a teazer or willey (see Chapter 
II., p. 27). 

Teazed wools are a pure wool flock, but are a 
bad colour, with no curl, and are manufactured from 
the fluff and sweepings of the mills ; they are very 
cheap and warm. 

Black wool flocks are in many different qualities 
and colours, and are chiefly made by the combing 
machines used in wool carding ; they are of medium 
curl, are much used for mattress stuffings, and are 
often blended with coloured flocks and sold as " red 
spot fancy, " mottled mixture, brown mixture, etc., 
the name denoting what colour has been blended 
with the black. White wools are a pure wool flock 
with a full curl and soft elastic feel, which in ordin- 
ary circumstances last for years without matting. 

In addition to the fillings already mentioned, 
there are special materials for hot climates, the 
principal of these being paper shavings, wood wool, 
manna, aloes, etc., the object being to get a loose 
texture which will admit of more perfect ventilation. 

Wadding is cotton or cotton-waste very finely 
carded to give it a soft, fluffy appearance. It is 
gummed to tissue paper. The grey wadding is the 
kind mostly used by upholsterers. 

Hessian is a coarse jute cloth, and is used as 
underlinings, first stuffing, etc. The manufacture 
of this cloth forms the staple industry of Dundee 
in Scotland. It is made in many varieties and 
widths ; that known as spring hessian is a very 
strong cloth, about twenty picks to the inch, and 
weighs 10^ oz. to the yard 40 in. wide. The coarser 
kinds, such as scrym. are used as underlinings and 
first stuffings. 



1 8 Upholstery. 

Web or webbing is strong coarse braid composed 
of cotton-wool alone, or mixed with linen woven 
plain or tabby, and can be obtained in rolls of 18 
yards. Spring web is very strong material made of 
linen with a pointed twill or herring-bone pattern 
running through it. Webbing is used for spring 
seats, and other light work. For backs, etc., not 
intended for rough wear, a cheaper variety, known 
as German webbing, is used, but not in good work, 
in which webbing forms the foundation for the 
whole job. Consequently, if poor material is used, 
the work sinks and bags quickly. 

Gimps are used to give a finish to the tacking 
rebates in upholstered work, and are generally \ in. 
wide. The kind used for hair-seated work is black 
polished linen, either plain or figured. Scroll gimp 
is a kind of thick silk twist in zig-zag form, stiffened 
by coarse threads running through it, and is used 
on velvets, plushes, etc. Gimps are sold by the 
gross yard, wound on a card. 

Banding is very similar to gimp, and is used for 
much the same purpose. It is made from long strips 
of covered leather, folded double and pasted fast at 
the back, and can be got to match any colour of 
leather used in upholstered work. 

Buttons may be had to match all kinds of furni- 
ture coverings. They are packed in cardboard 
boxes, which each contain one gross. 

Upholsterer's twine is a special twine, very - 
strong and tough, and sold in \-Va. and \-\h. balls. 
Good twine should not break when pulled in use. 
Twine used in mattress making is of two kinds ; 
one, the thicker of the two, is tufting twine, and 
the other stitching twine. 

Wire spiral springs have the diameter of their 
centres half that of their ends, the free ends of the 
wire being coiled inwards, to prevent cutting the 
coverings. Sizes from 4 in. to 12 in. are obtainable. 
They are made of different gauges *f wire to suit 



Upholsterers' Materials. 19 

various purposes ; 4-in. springs are of No. 12 gauge, 
and the 12-in. springs of No. 6 gauge. They are 
secured to wood spring-rails in sofas, etc., with wire 
staples put over the bottom coil, and are tied or 
stitched with twine to furniture which has webbed 
foundations. 

Old-fashioned springs sometimes met with are 
found to have the free ends tied down to the first 
coil by lapping with fine rose-wire. This method 
results in a certain amount of roughness, which is 
liable to cut the underlinings unless well lashed 
with cording. Springs are so cheap that it will not 
pay to lap the ends by hand labour ; but should a 
spring need shortening for some special purpose, 
use a pair of strong round-nose pliers, care being 
taken not to buckle the spring. 

Springs used in mattresses are discussed in 
Chapter IX. 

Pom-poms are used for ornamenting upholster- 
ers' work. To make a pom-pom lap a wood or card- 
board washer with three or four thicknesses of 
fibres, which may be of silk, worsted, or cotton. 
Cut all the fibres at the outer edge of the ring with 
a pair of pointed scissors ; this will release the ring. 
Bind the tuft in the centre with fine silk twist, and 
trim the pom-poms to shape. Another method is 
to knock two smooth spikes into a board, say 1 ft. 
apart, wrap the materials round the spikes to the 
required thickness, and tie up every \\ in. Cut off 
in the centre of each tie, which will make eight pom- 
poms. Flatten with a blow from a mallet or under 
a press. For fine work, a rough creel could be fitted, 
and ten to twenty of the strands wrapped at once. 
A vandyked edge could be given to the pom-poms 
by trimming with a mattress tuft punch. 

Mattress ribbons are used to bind the parts to- 
gether, and can be procured in colours and stripes 
to match the ticking, being packed in rolls contain- 
ing one gross yard. The flocks used for mattress 



20 Upholstery. 

fillings are almost all woollen ; cotton flocks arc 
used, but to a limited extent only. The flocks most 
seen are the self-colours, which may be black, 
brown, etc. ; these are often mixed and blended 
with one another, and sold as spot fancies, brown 
mixtures, greys, mottled, etc., and prices vary from 
l^d. per lb. for a black wool to Is. for the best 
bleached white woollen flocks. A good bedding 
flock should have a fine and even texture, free from 
powder and loose fluff, and the fibres should separate 
freely, be soft and springy, and have a wholesome 
smell. The horse-hair used for hair mattress fillings 
should be curly and much shorter in staple than that 
used for upholstering furniture ; this material is 
much adulterated with brush-draft and dyed vege- 
table fibres, w T hich are very difficult to detect. 
However, the burning of a sample may prove an 
easy test, horse-hair giving a black ash and vege- 
table matters a light grey ; this has already been 
referred to. A reasonable price for mattress horse- 
hair is from Is. to 2s., or even more, per lb. 

Ticking for mattress-making is stocked in widths 
of 58 in. and 63 in. Cotton ticking costs from lOd. 
to Is. 3d. per yard, union ticking from Is. 4d. to 
Is. 9d. per yard, and linen ticking from 2s. to 5s. 
per yard. Black linen and coloured sateens and 
lustres are used for backing purposes, and cost from 
3|d. to 7d. per yard. Trimmings are used for finish- 
ing purposes, and are made in silk, wool, cotton, or 
leather, the last named being called banding, which 
is usually secured with fancy- or plain-headed studs. 
Mattress buttons are obtainable in any material 
used as mattress coverings. 



2 I 



CHAPTER II. 

upholsterers' tools. 

Uholsterers' tools are usually not numerous or 
costly, and in the following list every tool and its 
use is explained. 



Fig. 4.— Packing Needle. 

Fig. 4 shows a packing needle, used for coarse 
rough sewing, such as seaming hessians. scrym, etc. 
Other finer needles are required for thimble work, 
but an assortment beginning with the carpet needle 

Fig. 5.— :Stitcking-up or Mattress Needle. 

and ranging in size to the packing needle here 
shown Mill doubtless meet all requirements. 

Fig. 5 is the stitching-up or mattress needle, 
pointed at each end. and varies from 8 in. to 10 in. 




Fig. 6.— Half -moon Xeedle. 

in length. It is used for stitching the edges of 
stuffed-up work, also for buttoning or tufting, and 
blind-stitching the edges of mattresses. A substitute 
for this needle can be made from an old solid-steel 



22 



Upholstery. 



umbrella wire. First scrape off the enamel and grind 
both ends to a fine point, using the hole in which 
the umbrella cover was fastened as the needle eye. 




■Hand Knife. 



Fig. 6 is a half-moon needle, known as a spring 
needle. It is used for stitching the springs used in 
spring seats and backs to the webbing or canvas. 




Fig-. 8.— Canterbury Claw Hammer. 



Fig. 7 shows a hand knife, which should be 

stropped on an emery board and finished on a strap. 

Fig. 8 shows a hammer, known as a canterbury 




-G imping* Hammer. 



claw ; this is used for driving in tacks and general 
work. The upholsterer's gimping hammer (Fig. 9) 
has a small round polished head much longer than 
the ordinary hammer. It is used for gimping, 



Upholsterers' Tools. 



23 



banding, and fixing fine laces by means of small 
enamelled nails called gimp pins. Fig. 10 illus- 
trates an upholsterer's pincers. These are almost 




Fig. 10. — Upholsterer's Pincers. 

indispensable for straining short webs, leather 
coverings, etc., as they hold the material much 




Fig. 11. — Stud Gauge. 

firmer than the ordinary pincers and without the 
risk of tearing the fibres. Gimping hammers and 
pincers are sold in three sizes. 







mm 



Figs. 12 and 13.— Web Strainer. 

Fig. 11 is a stud gauge, which is useful for mark- 
ing the positions of the brass-headed studs used for 



24 



Upholstery. 



finishing edges. For ordinary §-in. brass studs the 
points of the guage should be \ in. apart. In mark- 
ing for studs, put the last point of the gauge in 
the last hole made before striking again, to en sine 




•■< a 

Fig - . 14.— Web Strainer with Spikes. 

that the holes shall be at equal distances apart. A 
large prick wheel is often used for the same purpose. 

Figs. 12 and 13 show a web strainer. It can be 
made from a piece of hard wood, such as birch or 
beech, 12 in. long, 4 in. wide. 

Another type of web strainer or stretcher, as 




Fig-. 15. — Web Strainer in use. 

shown in Fig. 14, is made out of 1-in. stuff, fitted with 
spikes or nail points at each end — one set to stick 
in the stuffing rail, and the other to embed in the 
web. This has then to be pressed down till the web 
is perfectly taut, when it can be tacked on to the 



Upholsterers' Tools. 



2; 



rail (the other end having been previously tacked 
down) and the stretcher released, the web being cut 
off 1 in. from the tacks and nailed over. The pair 
of web strainers shown by Figs. 15 and 16 have no 
spikes to weaken the web. They can be made out 




of g-in. or 1-in. oak, or any hard wood. The web is 
first tacked on one side of the job, the strainers then 
held in an upright position on the edge of the wood, 
the web passed through the hole of strainers in the 
form of a loop, and the roller put through the loop ; 
it is then levered down till the web is tight. 

The regulator (Fig. 17) is for working the stuffing 
materials to the edges during the process of stitch- 
ing-up. It is similar to a broad flat packing needle 
fixed in a wooden handle. 

The stuffing stick illustrated by Fig. 18 can be 



26 Upholstery. 

made from a piece of hardwood about 2 ft. 6 in. 
long by 1^ in. thick at the other end. Cut a V notch 
in the smaller end, and hollow the large end with a 
gouge chisel. A stuffing stick chiefly used in mat- 
tress making is shown by Fig. 19. 

A pair of strong scissors about 9 in. long, a 2-ft. 
rule, a tape measure, and a couple of chisels and a 
heavy hammer for taking off sofa backs, etc., will 



Fig. 17. — Regulator. 




be required. For trade purposes a treadle sewing 
machine cannot be dispensed with ; there are 
several suitable machines on the market, such as 
the Singer Co.'s No. 7 ; Bradbury's also make a 
good machine. In seaming leather or leather cloth, 
it is important to use " leather point " needles. 

For supporting the frames whilst being uphol- 
stered, a pair of light wood trestles, about 2 ft. 6 in. 
high and 3 ft. long, should be used, and for small 
work a bench with a flat top, about 4 ft. square, will 
be useful. 

Upholsterers' aprons have two pockets in the 
front, lined with stout moleskin. One pocket is 



Fig. 18.— Stuffing Stick. 

used for tacks, and the scissors, etc., are carried in 
the other. 

In re-upholstering it is necessary, before using 
the matted stuffing materials over again, or before 
using new stuff, to pick or card them,, so as thor- 
oughly to tear and separate the fibres. Flock-card- 
ing or dressing machines are made both for hand 
and power, and some have special attachments for 
teazing hair and fibre. It is a good plan to have a 



Upholsterers' Tools. 27 

separate room for these machines, as the operation 
is very dusty, and, except at the feeding and de- 
livering parts, the machine should be cased in with 
boards, sliding or hinged doors being provided for 
cleaning and oiling. The casing should be con- 
tinued to a tapered funnel communicating with the 




Fig. 19.— Stuffing Stick for Mattresses. 

open air, and, if possible, a power-driven exhaust 
fan should be fixed in the upper parts of the funnel 
to remove the dust and other impurities. Hand 
cards have the same purpose as the machines. Fig. 
20 shows the top portion of a pair of hand cards ; 
the bottom part is similar, with the exception of the 
handles, which are used to give a sliding motion to 
the top part, the bottom part being held stationary 
on the bench. Fig. 21 shows the principles of a 
flock-carding machine, which is known as a teazer 




Pig". 20.— Top Part of Pair of Hand Card-. 

or willey. A is a large drum covered with spikes or 
card cloth, and geared to run at a high speed. The 
small drums or worker rollers (e and c) are also 
covered in a similar manner. The material to be 
carded is fed into the hopper D, and is carried round 
the large drum, coining in contact with the worker 
rollers, which tear up and separate the fibres ; these 
are then thrown on the revolving delivery table e 



28 



UrilOLSTKRY 



by suitable catch rollers. The power is imparted 
by a cranked handle, or belt-driven pulleys. The 
working parts are cased in to prevent the material 
flying off the drums. 

Fig. 22 shows a pair of grapple hooks, useful for 




Flock Teazer, or Willey. 



suspending bales of flock, etc. These are slung 
from the ceiling by means of ropes passing through 
the eyes. Each hook grips the opposite side of the 
bale ; thus the bale mouth is held open, and as the 
bale is not liable to tilt- over, much waste is pre- 
vented. 



2 9 



CHAPTER III. 

FRAMES, WEBBING, SPRINGING, AND STUFFING. 

Upholstered furniture frames are of two kinds, 
stuff-over frames (Fig. 23) and show-wood frames 
(Fig. 24). Stuff-over frames (Fig. 25) are generally 




Fig. 23.— Stuff-over Chair. 

heavily built, as the whole of the woodwork is 
covered with the exception of the bottoms of the 
legs. They are, however, more difficult to stuff 
than the show-wood frames (Fig. 26), which are 
generally ornamented with mouldings and carvings. 



3° 



Upholstery. 



Upholstered furniture is generally made up in 
sets known as suites ; these usually consist of one 
couch or settee, one pair of easy chairs, sometimes 
called divans, and from four to eight small chairs, 
according to the size of the room being furnished. 
Odd chairs are known as occasionals. 

The modern construction of chair frames is any- 
thing but satisfactory, too much time and labour 




Fi< 



\\. — Show -wood Chair, 



being spent on ornamentation instead of sound 
jointing. The joint almost universally used in 
chair-making is the dowel joint (Fig. 27). The ad- 
vantage of the dowel joint over the mortise joint is 
solely in the saving of wood, as it will be seen that 
the length of the rail is exactly the distance between 
the uprights. The joint is made by boring holes and 



Frames, Webbing, Springing, and Stuffing. 31 




Fig. 26.— Frame for Show-wood Chair. 



3 2 



Upholstery. 



pegging up with dowels, and it is preferable to use 
dowels made with a dowel plate instead of machine- 
made dowels, as the force applied in driving the 









Fiji*. 27.— Dowel Joint. 



^WMd 



Fig. 28.— Dovetail Mortise 
Joint. 



wood through tends to consolidate the fibres. Fig. 
28 shows one of the best joints for securing the seat 
rails of chairs to the front legs, 




Fig. 24). — Chair Framing. 



Frames, Webbing, Springing, and Stuffing. 33 

bv ml c r ec T, me i hocI of h " dmins a chair { » sh ° w ^ 

by Fig. 29. The frames are made strongest when 
the two hack legs are straight except for a slight 




Fio-. 30— Part of Crown-back Chdr. 




Fig-. 31.— Ruben's Chair Brace. 



sweep at the bottom. The cross rails must be 
straight, and all joints should be mortised, the front 
leg joint being preferably dovetail-mortised, as in 



34 



Upholstery. 



Fig. 28. Compare this construction with one of the 
modern crown-back chairs (Fig. 30), where the chair 
back is made with four pieces of wood ; the grain 
runs across the stuff where the dowels are put in, as 
shown. When extra pressure is put on the joints 
they snap, and sometimes break away a piece of the 
wood. 

Couch and sofa frames should have the rails mor- 
tised into the legs and not the legs dowelled into the 
bottom of the frame. 

There are several appliances for strengthening 
chair joints, two of these being shown by Figs. 31 
and 32. The first is Rubery's chair brace, and con- 




Fi<y. 32.— Reilly's Chair Bolt. 



sists of a malleable iron bracket or brace with three 
arms, one to secure to the chair leg and the two 
others to the opposite seat rails. It should be. 
placed underneath the chair seat. Fig. 32 shows 
Reilly's patent chair bolt. A square nut is let into 
the seat rail, and a hole is bored through the back 
leg and into the end of the seat rail. The bolt is in- 
serted from the back and is screwed up with a turn- 
screw. The hole in the back leg should be plugged 
with a turned wood pattress or button as shown at 
the side. 

Webbing is the first operation in all framed seats 
and backs. This is very important in furniture up- 
holstery, as it forms the foundation, and if not done 



Frames, Webbing, Springing, and Stuffing. 35 

properly the stuffing will sag and the appearance 
be entirely ruined. For example, suppose that an 
ordinary stand chair is to be stuffed up with a spring 
seat. Place the chair legs on the bench or trestles, 
and take a roll of No. 14 white web. Turn the web 
end over for \ in., and fasten to the centre of the 
seat rail with four £-in. tacks. Pass through it the 
strainer, as shown in Fig. 33. The web must now bo 
stretched perfectly tight by placing the rebate of the 
strainer on the under edge of seat rail, and grasping 




Fisr. 33. — Web Strainer in use. 



both handle and webbing firmly, pressing down- 
wards. See that the web is straight, and fasten 
down with ^-in. tacks, or f-in. large headed nails 
may be used if desired, putting four on each end of 
the web. Then remove the strainer and cut off \ in. 
from the edge. Double this over and fasten down. 

The other webs are fixed in the same way, the 
number varying according to the size of the frames. 
For spring seats a space of 2 in. should be between 
the webs. Now turn the chair and cross-web from 
side to side, interlacing the webs alternately, as 
shown in Fig. 34. Straining the webs with the 
hands alone should never be attempted. The webs 



36 



Upholstery. 



cannot be stretched too tight, as the least bag will 
be very evident in the shape of the seat when 
the springs have been inserted. 

Backs are webbed in exactly the same way, ex- 
cept that the webbing is put on the inside. For this 
work it is usual to use the German webbing, as 
these parts are not liable to the same hard wear as 
seats. Fig. 35 shows another kind of chair bottom 
in the process of webbing, and Fig. 36 is an inside 
view of a webbed back. 

The next operation is springing, and for this four 
■8 -in. chair springs will be required. Sometimes 




Fig-. 34. — Seat with Springs in Position, 



three springs fixed in the form of a triangle are used 
for small stand chairs, but four is better. They 
should be free from kinks and buckles. First place 
them on the webs in the positions shown by A in 
Fig. 34, at least 4 in. from the edges, and when deal- 
ing with a chair seat having a curved front, leave out 
one spring from the row nearest to the curve. Then 
take the curved spring needle, thread with double 
twine, and in four places sew the springs to the 
webs by the bottom coil. Some workmen employ 



Frames, Webbing, Springing, and Stuffing. 37 

the method of stitching all round the coil and tying 
the ends together. Tie off at each place with a 
double knot (in the case of a couch the springs would 
be sown to the bottom cover by the method shown 
in Fig. 37). In first-class work the tops of the 
springs would now be lashed with laid cord ; this 
will be described later, as the method now described 
is common, and secure if properly done. Measure 
the distance over the springs with a tape measure, 
and cut a piece of hessian large enough to cover. 




Fig 35. — Chair Bottom during Webbim 



Take this along the front rail just below the top 
edge, draw it over to the back, and pull it down in 
the centre until the springs are compressed one- 
third their length. Get the fibres of the hessian per- 
fectly straight and start tacking, working from the 
centre to each end. Do the same at the sides and 
cut off. The springs will now be between the hes- 
sian cover and the webbing, and must be secured on 
the top. Work each spring in an upright position 
from the underside of the seat, and, with the spring 
needle, sew the top coil of the spring to the cover. 



J8 



Upholstery. 






Press down, and if any springs clash or bind, the 
cause will probably be that they are not perfectly 
upright. 




Fig. 36.— Inside View of Webbed Chair Back. 

First stuffing, for which the seat is now ready, 
can be of alva, which makes excellent edges. Begin 
by making loops or long stitches of twine on the top 
of the seat and 2 in. from the outside edge ; two 



'J*. 



Fig. 37. — Springs" Sewn to Bottom Cover of Couch. 

stitches to each side will be sufficient. Then pull 
moderately tight and tie off. Pack some alva tight 
and even under the strings to a height of about 3 



Frames^ Webbing, Springing, and Stuffing. 39 

in. (see Fig. 38), and spread out 6 in. wide. The 
space in the centre can be filled with a layer of cot- 
ton or woollen flocks. Cut off a piece of scrym (a 
coarse hessian), fix at the back with four stay-tacks 




Fig. 38. — Stringing- Alva in Edges of Chair Seat. 

partly driven in, and smooth over with the hands to 
the front. Get the scrym fibres perfectly straight, 
and tack on the front stuffing rail in the centre and 
work to the ends, inserting more alva at the same 
time. When finished, the appearance should be a 
moderately firm roll of stuffing, about 4 in. high all 
round the seat. In tacking the scrym, double the 
edges to obtain a better hold for the tacks. 




Fig. 39.— Seat with First Row of Stitching. 

The process of stitching up the edges will now 
be dealt with. 

In stitching up the edge of the seat, first insert 
the point of the regulator (Fig. 17, p. 26) through 



4 o 



Uj'HOLSTERY. 






the scrym on the top of the seat 4 in. from the edge, 
and work the stuffing well to the edges. The first 
row of stitching (Fig. 39) can now be done by what 
is known as the blind stitch (Fig. 40). Thread the 
mattress needle (Fig. 5, p. 21) with twine, and in- 




Fig. 4(1.— Blind Stitch. 

sert it in the stuffing just on the top edge of the 
stuffing-rail. Push the needle forward, let it come 
out on the top of the seat about 6 in. from the edge, 
and draw the needle out for about half its length. 
Then back the needle 1 in. farther to the right than 
where first inserted, and in doing this get as much 
stuffing as possible in the loop or stitch. Wrap the 
twine twice round the needle and pull tight; this 
will draw and secure all the stuffing contained in the 
stitch to the edge. The twine will be seen only on 
the front. The stitches should be 2 in. apart, work- 




Fig. i\. — Second Row of Stitching. 

ing to the right. After stitching about 6 in., insert 
the regulator and work freely to the edges. Some 
upholsterers take up about 1 in. of the edge of 
stuffing, and form a distinct roll \ in. in diameter. 
This roll should be firm and hard, and should not 
bow down when pressed. 

The second row of stitching (Fig. 41) is put right 



Frames, Webbing, Springing, and Siuffing. 41 

through. Use the same needle and work to the 
right, beginning 1 in. higher up the edge than the 
first stitching. Pass the needle through and draw 
out on the top 2 in. from the edge. Do not turn the 
needle round, but back it out on the front eye end, 
make a 1-in. stitch, and pull tight. It is a common 
practice to stitch only the front and sides of small 
stand chairs, the back edge being left with the blind 
stitch only. 

The last row of stitching (Fig. 42) is the same as 
the second row, but only \ in. from the edge. Care 
should be taken to make the stitches straight and 
even, as on this depends the correct sweep of the 




Fig-. 42,— Third Row of Stitching. 



finished seat. Fig. 42 shows the stitching com- 
pleted. 

The second stuffing can now be done. Fill the 
seat with a layer of flock about 4 in. high when 
pressed down, which will give the correct rise to the 
seat. Over this lay a sheet of grey wadding, pull- 
ing close to the extreme edges. In common work 
it is usual to lay the outside covering directly over 
the wadding, but it is better to cover with un- 
bleached calico, as this prevents dust rising from the 
stuffing. The calico must be tacked in the centre 
and strained with the pincers. If the seat slacks 
when sat upon, the calico is not tight enough, or 
there is not sufficient flock in the second stuffing. 

In stuffing the back, which is presumed to be 
firm-stuffed and buttoned, lay it on the trestles or 



42 



Upholstery. 



bench. First cross-web with four rows of webbing, 
which should be tacked to the rebates. Measure the 
space, cut off a piece of hessian, and tack it on all 
round. Then with needle and twine make loops 
with one break in the centre, to go right across the 
back. Fill the loops with well-picked fibre or alva, 
and tack over a cover of serym, filling with more 
stuffing until the back is fairly firm but not hard. 
The edges should be even. Now with the long 
needle blind-stitch the edge all round in the manner 
described for the seat. This will be sufficient, as 
the back is to be buttoned. Then give a second 




Ei ? . 43.— Tufted Chair Back. 

stuffing with flock, and afterwards a layer of wad- 
ding, and cover with unbleached calico. Any stain- 
ing, polishing, etc., can now be done, but not the 
final spiriting-off, which is generally left until the 
cover:' are put on. (Wood finishing is outside the 
scope of Uiio work ; consult the companion hand- 
book devoted exclusively to it.) 

When the polishing is finished, the outside 
covers, which may be of any material, can be fixed. 
Soft goods such as velvets, reps, etc., are much 
easier to lay than leather or leather cloths, which 
require a considerable amount of straining to get 
free from pleats and wrinkles. For velvet, measure 



Frames, Webbing, Springing, and Stuffing. 43 

the seat from mould to mould, cut the cover, lay it 
on the seat, and smooth it with the hands. Get the 
threads and pattern straight, and stay-tack the four 
sides. Begin tacking with f-in. tacks 1 in. apart, 
keeping them as close as possible to the mouldings, 
so that the trimmings hide the heads of the tacks. 
Tack the front first, then smooth over to the back 
and tack in the middle and work to each corner. The 
sides should then be tacked, leaving the front cor- 
ners until the last. These should be doubled under 
the front, pulled down with the pincers, and tacked 
through the double thickness. Now run the hand- 




Fig. 4i. — Sewing Button to Chair Back. 

knife round the edges, keepmg close to the mould- 
ing and cutting off waste stuff. The back is covered 
in the same manner, but a little gather should be 
allowed on the top su that the tufts will sink better. 
The back can now be tufted (see Fig, 43) and 
buttoned. To do this, get some velvet-covered 
furniture buttons, the same colour as the cover, and 
mark their positions with a piece of chalk. Thread 
the long mattress needle with twine, pass it through 
the stuffing from the back, and let the point come 
out on a chalk mark. Draw the needle out, but 
not all the twine, push the needle through the tag 
of a button as shown 111 Fig. -14, then baek through 
the stuffing from the front, \ in. from where the 
needle came out. The two ends of the twine will 
then be at the back. Insert the point of the regu- 
lator through the hessian at the back and work 
away the stuffing all round where the button will 
sink (see Fig. 45) ; pull the ends of the twine and 
draw in the button, thus throwing up a tuft all 



44 



Upholstery 



round. Tie the ends of the twine and put a leather 
mattress tuft (Fig. 46) between the knots. Another 
method is to tuft the whole back with one continu- 
ous length of twine, finally tightening up and ty- 
ing off, as shown by Fig. 47. The first method is 
preferable. 

A method of getting a deep tuft much used in 
the trade is to leave the two ends of twine long 
enough to reach to the nearest cross-rail ; a tack is 
driven in half-way, the strings pulled tight and 
given a few laps round the tack, which is then 
knocked home. This gives the button a permanent 
set. 




Fig-. 45. — Section of Tufted 
Chair Back. 



Fig. 46.— Mattress Tuft. 



To prevent the twine used for tying the but- 
tons cutting the canvas when tying up, put a tuft- 
ing washer, made from clippings of leather or stout 
cloth, between the ends before the knots are tied. 
The creases between the tufts are set in by tapping 
them with a hammer whilst laid on a piece of hard 
wood ; care must be taken to have all the tufts of 
the same height. 

The stuffing material has much to do with the set 
of the tufts ; hair and other springy fibres set up 
much better than flock or similar short stapled 
materials. 

A method of marking uuL furniture for button 
ing is to set out on the baok of the material either 
with chalk or black pencil a series of cross lines, and 



Fkamf.s, Webbing* Springing, and Stuffing. 45 

where they intersect the buttons b should come, as 
shown in Fig. 48. The distance apart must be re- 
gulated according to the method of buttoning 
adopted, if close together or few as possible. Make 
the " diamonds " about \\ in. or 2 in. longer on each 
side than their actual position to allow for the ful- 
ness in stuffing. 

The above instructions apply to all kinds of soft 
coverings, but in putting on coverings such as 
leather or leather cloths always begin in the centre, 
and use a pair of pincers for stretching the material, 
as it is liable to form into " pipes " and " wrinkles " 




Fig-. 47. — Chair Back with Laced Tufts. 

at the edges. These should be removed before tack- 
ing, if necessary cutting out a narrow V-shaped 
piece from the wrinkle and tacking securely. 

In cold weather all American cloth covers should 
be warmed before a stove or fire, to prevent the 
enamelled surface cracking and peeling. It also 
allows the cloth to expand when laying, and the 
contraction on cooling makes a neat layer when the 
work is carefully done. 

The edges of the cover can now be finished with 
suitable coloured gimp to match the covers if soft 
goods are used. This is secured with black gimp 
pins, sold by most ironmongers. Keep the gimp 
tight and straight, and place the pins 1 in. apart in 
zig-zag fashion. 

For leather or leather cloths banding is used 



4 6 



Upholstery. 



instead of gimp, this being secured with brass or 
solid leather-headed studs, spaced at equal dis- 
tances apart with the stud gauge. The chair back 




Fig-. 48. — Marking out Buttoning 1 . 



can be covered with velvet or other material, and 
the under-side of the seat may have a cover of hes- 
sian, or it can be left open, thus being convenient 
for dusting. 



47 



CHAPTER IV. 

MAKING HEAT CUSHIONS AND SQUABS. 

The making of seat cushions and squabs is included 
in upholsterers' work. Cushions are made with 
square edges, and vary from 2 in. to 4 in. in thick- 
ness. 

Squabs are thin cushions chiefly used for car- 
riage-back upholstery, saloons, etc. ; they differ 
from cushions proper in being invariably secured to 
the frame or seating. 

Cushions are made in two different styles, known 
as piped-edged cushions and plain-edged cushions. 
Fig. 49 is an enlarged section of a piped-edged 
cushion, the edge being formed with piped seaming 
lace sewn with the double stuff. Fig. 50 shows the 
plain-edged cushion ; the raised appearance of the 
seam is caused by a narrow strip of the material 
being drawn out and over-seamed on the edges. 
The advantage of the plain-edged cushion is that it 
is in two pieces only, whereas in the piped-edged 
cushion the top, bottom, two ends, and two sides 
are separate. All cushions are seamed inside out, 
so that the raw edges do not show in the completed 
article. 

In setting out the dimensions for a piped-edged 
cushion, allow 1 in. all round the top and bottom 
pieces for seaming and tufting; the edge strips re- 
quire an allowance of \ in. all round. The seam- 
ing lace shown in Fig. 49 can be obtained in a 
variety of colours and materials at most wholesale 
houses. It is very cheap, and is usually of soft 
sateen jean twill, and is sold with the piping cord 
worked in. Seaming lace can be made from the 



48 Upholstery. 

material, but it does not pay to do this. It is sold 
without the cord ; therefore, before being used, 
double the lace and place between the folds some 
piping rord or thick twine. Fold the two ends to- 
gether and baste fast with coarse stitches. Then 
pin or baste this between the two edges of the top 
and side piece, taking care to see that the stitches 
are made through the wrong side of the stuff. Next 
baste the bottom to the other edge of the side piece 
with a length of seaming lace between. These two 
seams can now be machined, and the front edge 
will be finished. The opposite side is done in the 
same way, keeping the case turned inside out. One 
end only must be seamed up before the case is 






Fig-. 40. — Cushion with Piped Seaming". 

turned, and the other end must be stitched by hand. 
Before doing this, however, the part of the cushion 
nearest the seamed end can be stuffed. Push in 
the stuffing from the open end, and work well into 
the corners and edges with the stuffing-stick. Set 
the work by beating with the hands, and work out 
any hollow places with the stick. When half the 
length of the cushion is filled and levelled, this part 
can be tufted. With a piece of chalk mark the posi- 
tions of the buttons, which can be in even rows or 
in the shape of a diamond. Then proceed to fix the 
buttons, following the instructions given in the pre- 
vious chapter. Care should be taken to tie all 
the buttons in the same way. The other half of the 
cushion can now be stuffed and seamed together at 
the open end. When completed, the cushion should 



Making Seat Cushions and Squabs. 49 

be of even thickness and the edges quite square 
and firm. 

The case of a plain-edged cushion for a sofa is of 
two pieces of material, namely the top and bottom, 
as the ends do not show. For a couch cushion it is 
usual to make one or both ends square, in which 
case the parts will consist of top, bottom, and two 
ends. The edge of this cushion is a thick seam of 
the double thickness of the material (see Fig. 50). 
One seam is made about 1 in. from the edge of the 
stuff, and the other at a distance from the first of 
about 3 in., or whatever thickness the cushion is re- 
quired. This forms the front of the cushion for a 
sofa, and the underlining is seamed to the top, which 






<• -./*» 






ec t. - •-> 



Fig'. 50. — Cushion with Plain, or Mocked Edging. 

should be turned inside out. Some cushions are 
made with square edges all round, in "which case they 
can be reversed when one edge is worn. Another 
method for small chair cushions is to seam the top 
and the bottom pieces wrong side out, then turn and 
over-seam the edge on the outside through the 
double thickness. 

Squabs are thin cushions, and are secured per- 
manently by tacking at the edges. They are exten- 
sively used in the carriage-trimming trade for car- 
riage backs, and also in tramcars and railway 
carriages. In the furnishing trade, squabs are made 
for seat backs, Persian bed-upholstery, and other 
purposes. In making a squab, it is important that 
the part to be covered should be measured care- 
fully to the exact shape "and size. In cases where 

D 



5© Upholstery. 

the squab cannot be finished on the place it is to 
occupy, it can be made on the bench. First cover 
the part loosely with hessian and secure this with a 
few tacks. Then cut to size, take off, lay on the 
bench, and fix at the corners with marking awls. 
Now measure for the top cover and make an allow- 
ance for pleats and tufts, which vary with the 
amount of fulness required. 

If lap tufts are wanted, set out the positions with 
a tape measure and chalk, fold at the lines to form 
the pleats, and iron with a hot carpet goose-iron, if 
cloth is used. For roans and moroccos the pleats 
are set in by hammering on a flat surface, as the 
iron would scorch the leather. If the surface is 
large, the joints of the skins should be made to come 
in the pleats. 

Different methods are employed in stuffing 
squabs. One way is to pick on a good layer of 
stuffing. The top cover is tacked to the top of this, 
the button strings are inserted, and each tuft is set 
to its proper height with the stick, and tied. 
Another method is to begin in the centre and form 
each tuft separately, and gradually work to the 
sides. Whichever method is employed it is im- 
portant to keep the tufts as even as possible in size 
and height and to allow sufficient margin all round 
the edges, for tacking. The -tacking is usually 
hidden with gimps or banding. 



5 1 



CHAPTER V. 

UPHOLSTERING AN EASY-CHAIR. 

Instructions will be given in this chapter on up- 
holstering a stuff -over easy-chair in what is known 
as " best work." 

Fig. 51 shows a stuff-over easy-chair which is 
similar, although not identical, to the one here 
described. When the frame is made, with a coarse 
rasp rub off the top edges of the stuffing rails to a 
bevel sufficient to hold a tack. Turn the frame up- 
side down and web the bottom with six cross 
strands of best English webbing. Then web the 
back, placing the, webbing inside, as shown in Fig. 
52, p. 53 ; the arms require webbing both inside and 
outside. 

The chair is now ready for springing, for which 
purpose nine 8-in. springs for the seat., five 6-in. 
springs for the back swell, and six 4-in. springs 
for the arm bolsters, will be required. Sew the seat 
springs to the webs with double twine in three 
parallel rows of three. The back swell springs are 
placed in two rows, three in the bottom row and 
two in the top row (see Fig. 52). The bolster arm 
springs are placed on the top of the arm rail (see 
Fig. 53) and must be secured with spring staples. 

Another method is to lap small pieces of webbing 
or leather round the bottom coil of the spring and 
tack to the rail, as shown in Fig. 54. An alterna- 
tive method is to sew the springs into position from 
above with the curved needle in the same way as 
they were sewn upon the webs, fastening each spring 
separately. The former system is favoured in all 
first-class work. 



52 



Upholstery. 



The seat springs are lashed on the top with cord. 
Procure some four-strand laid cord, and tack one 
end to the back rail, in a line with the centre of the 
middle row of springs. Lap the cord once round the 
top coil of the first spring on the off side, then once 
round the same coil on the inner side, and then in the 




Fig. 51.— Upholstered Easy-Cliair. 



same manner with the centre and the front springs ; 
Fig. 55 clearly shows this operation. Now pull the 
free end of the cord until the springs are compressed 
about one-third their length, and tack the cord to 
the front rail in a direct line with the tack at the 
back. The springs should lean slightly towards the 
back, as the pressure on the seat is from the front, 



UP 'HOLSTER ING AN EaSV-ChAIR. 



53 



and the springs will take a proper vertical position 
when sat upon. Next cover the arms with hessian, 
tacking it on the inside of the arm rail, bringing it 




£c©=0 



Fig. 52. — Webbed Chair Back showing- Positions of Springs. 

over to the other side, and pulling down until the 
springs are compressed. Then stitch the springs 
with the curved needle and tie off. 




Fig.54. — Spring 
secured with 
Pieces of 

Leather. 



Fig. 53. — Springs on Chair Bolster Arm. 



The back can next be dealt with. Cut a piece of 
hessian, tack it straight and tight to the head rail, 
and sew it to the back webs just above the top row 



54 



Upholstery. 



of springs on the line A B (Fig. 52). Pull the hessian 
at the bottom until the springs are compressed, tack 
fast underneath the rail, and tie off. Fig. 56 is an 




Fig-. 55.— Chair Seat Springs Lashed with Cord. 

illustration of a chair seat showing the springs 
covered with hessian. 

The springing is now completed, and the first 




* 




y//////////% 



Fig. 56. — Seat Springs Covered with Hessian. 

stuffing can be done. For this, use " seconds " 
curled horsehair. Alva may be used if preferred, in 
which case care should be taken to remove all 
lumps. Beginning with the seat, loop the edges 



Upholstering an Easy-Chair. 



55 



with twine and fill these moderately firm and even 
with stuffing. Cover this with scrym, which must 
be tacked on the rasped edge, and work in more 
stuffing, so as to make a thick roll all round. Make 




Fig. 57.— First Stuffing-. 

the blind stitch and follow with two rows of stitches, 
the last row only being done on the front and up the 
sides to the arms. Fig. 57 shows the first stuffing, 
and in Fig. 58 a piece of the scrym is removed to 
show the blind stitching. The second row of 
stitching is shown in Fig. 59. 

The arm bolsters can now be stuffed. First loop 




Fig. oS.— Blind Stitch in Chair Seat. 

w T ith twine with a break at each edge, but do not 
draw up tight, as the bolsters require plenty of 
stuffing. Then cover with scrym, using the regula- 
tor to work the stuffing round, so as to get a firm, 
smooth bolster. Care should be taken to have the 



56 Upholstery. 

bolsters of the same size. Their front ends are 
blind stitched and secured with two rows of stitches, 
keeping them square to the edge. The backs of the 
bolsters are not stitched up, but are grafted well 
into the back. 

To stuff the bolster head, make loops of twine 
with tacks knocked into the rail, and fill with stuff- 
ing. Tack a piece of scrym on the under side of the 
rail, and fill in with stuffing, keeping it well to the 
front. Work the regulator freely to get the bolster 
to a good shape, and tack the scrym at the back. 
The ends of the bolster head are closed with two 
rows of blind stitching. The back of the chair must 
be strung with looped twine and w T ell filled with 
stuffing, especially the swell at the bottom, as this 

^ r 

k^ if]W//////7/;^ 




Second Row of Stitching:. 



should support the hollow of the back of the person 
sitting. Then cover with scrym, and the first stuff- 
ing is complete. The scrym covering the under 
portion of arm and bolster should be in one piece. 
For the second stuffing string the seat from front 
to back, and pick on evenly under these about 1^ lb. 
of hair, making a gentle rise to the centre of the 
seat. Do not let the stuffing overhang the stitching, 
but let it come to the edge. Over this put a layer 
of sheet wadding. A portion of the chair stuffed 
up is illustrated by Fig. 60. The seat must now be 
covered with unbleached calico well stretched on 
and free from wrinkles and puckers. It is not 



. Upholstering an Easy-Chair. 57 

necessary to have this on, but the job is more satis- 
factory with it. Fig. 61 shows a portion of the chair 
covered with calico. Then test the seat by sitting 
on it, and if it gets slack and baggy the calico is not 
strained sufficiently, and requires more stuffing. 
The back head bolster and arm bolsters are second- 
stuffed with a layer of hair, followed by sheet wad- 
ding and covered with calico. The back bolster is 
shown stitched up by Fig. 62. 



Fig. 60.— Part of Chair Stuffed up. 

The chair is now ready for the cover. A com- 
mon covering for stuff-overs which harmonises well 
with this style of upholstering is known as saddle- 
bags or bags by the trade. These are squares of 
heavy Wilton pile, and are made to look like a panel 
by sewing on velvet or plushette surrounds. The 
saddles proper are sold in two sizes, 18 in. sq. and 
22 in. sq. (see p. 11). A stuff-over easy-chair requires 
one for the seat and one for the back, each 22 in., and 
one for each bolster arm 18 in. sq. In addition, 4 yd. 



53 



Upholstery. 



of velvet will be required for the surrounds. With 
a tape, measure the distance over the seat from the 
bottom edge of the stuffing rail on one side to the 
other. If this is 36 in., add 1 in. for seaming. This 
will make the surrounds 7^ in. wide for each side. 
To get the breadth of the surrounds, measure from 
the front to the back in the same manner, and halve 
the distance over and above the width of the saddle. 
Skill in cutting out is acquired by constant practice, 
the main object being to avoid waste, especially with 




Fig. 62.— Back 
Bolster Stitched 
up. 



Fig. 01. — Part of Chair covered with Calico. 



expensive covers. In cutting surrounds of plain 
velvets, always cut across the piece if the length of 
the surrounds allows it. With figured goods it is 
more difficult to avoid waste, as the pattern must 
be matched, and may vary from 4 in. to 1 yd. before 
the pattern is repeated. Lay the saddle on a table 
or other flat surface, and place the surrounds in 
their proper positions, marking them when correct ; 
then sew them together the wrong side up. Place 
them on the seat, and get the saddle equidistant 
from all four sides before tacking. This must be 
begun from the centre and worked to the corners, 



Upholstering an Easy-Chair. 59 

stuffing being put in or taken out as is necessary 
while tacking down, and the hands being used freely 
in smoothing out all kinks and wrinkles. If the 
hands are occasionally rubbed with a sponge slightly 
damped (not wet) with clean water a firm bite will 
be obtained. Proceed in the same manner for the 
back and the bolster arms, letting the creases of the 
arms be evenly pleated all round. Never let the 
covers get twisted in any way, but allow mesh or 
threads to run straight across. 

The head is not usually made with a saddle, but 
is covered with plain velvet. The ends of the bol- 
sters of the head and the arms are finished with a 
heavy pom-pom or tassel and cord. The edges of 
the chair are finished with a heavy fringe, about 
6 in. wide, of a colour to match the covering. A 
piece of Forfar or black linen should be fastened on 
the bottom of the chair to cover the webs. The 
outside back can be covered with velveteen or plush- 
ette of the same colour as the surrounds. Clean off 
the whole surface with a furniture brush,, which has 
bevelled ends for getting into the joints, and is 
bristled specially for the purpose. 24 in. outside 
measurement is a very suitable width for stuff-over 
frames for upholstering, it being neat and economi- 
cal, as one width of velvet covers it without a 
seam. The most suitable width must be left for 
each worker to decide for himself. 



6o 



CHAPTER VI. 

UPHOLSTERING COUCHES AND SOFAS. 

The upholstering of couches and sofas, which are 
modifications of early benches and settles, will now 
be dealt with. A flat bench raised to nearly the 
same level as a chair, with turned or square legs, 
and having a raised stuffed head or arm, is known 
as an ottoman. The addition of a half or three- 
quarter back forms a couch. A stuffed arm added at 
the opposite end, and the back continued to it, forms 
a sofa. Various special shapes are given by manu- 




Fig\ 63. — Serpentine-back Couch with German Arm. 

facturers to the different parts, but the principle is 
the same. 

Fig. 63 shows a serpentine-back couch with Ger- 
man arms, the legs being dowelled into the bottom 
frame. The different parts are a, scroll ; b, head or 
arm ; c, back moulding ; and D, couch seat. 

Fig. 64 shows a bolster-arm couch with German 
arm and back consisting of a long narrow stuffed 
bolster raised about 1 ft. from the seat by a spindle 



Upholstering Couches and Soeas. 



61 



rail. The legs of this couch are framed with the seat 
rails by means of dovetail mortise joints, which 
make a much stronger frame than dowelling. 




Fig - . G4. — Couch with German Bolster-arm. 

Couches are usually made left-handed — that is, 
the head is to the left from the front. Fig. 65 shows 
a very common pattern of sofa with English arms, 
which require a pillow to fill up the hollow in the 
inside of the heads. This shape of arm is fast going 
out of fashion in favour of the German style of 
arm, shown in Fig;-. 63 and 64. The English and 




Fig. 05. — Sofa with English Arms. 



German sofa arms are shown diagramatically by 
a and b, Fig. 66. The German arm is curved in the 
opposite way at the bottom of the scrolls, and ia 



62 Upholstery. 

stuffed over to a height of 3 in., thus doing away 
with the pillow. The head is generally buttoned on 
the inside. Couches and sofas are made with either 
spring or loose cushion seats. 

To upholster a serpentine-back spring-seat 
couch (Fig. 63), begin by removing the back, which 
is secured by screws or nails to the back seat rail 
and the head. Take the seat in hand first. In this 
couch the springs are placed on wood cross rails 
instead of webbings, as shown in Fig. 67, the posi- 
tions of the springs being indicated by circles. Ten 
springs, in five rows of two each, will be required, 
and these are secured to the rails by upholsterers' 
staples, four to each spring. After the springs are 





Fig*. GG. — English and German Sofa Anns. 

fastened, tack a cover of hessian on the front edge of 
the stuffing rail, keeping the stuff straight and tight. 
Now pull the hessian cover down at the centre of 
the back rail until the springs are compressed for 
about one-third of their length, and tack fast. Do 
the same along the back to each end, keeping the 
surface as even as possible so as to have a good- 
shaped seat when finished. Thread the curved 
spring needle with twine from underneath the seat, 
place the springs in a vertical position, and stitch 
them fast to the cover by the top coil, or make three 
or four separate ties to each spring. Now make 
long loops of twine along the front edge, the end, 



Upholstering Couches and Sofas. 



63 



and up the back seat rail to which the couch back is 
fixed. 

Take some Algerian fibre or rag flock (the ordin- 
ary bed or stuffing flocks are of no use for stitching- 
up purposes), pull out the stuffing with the hands, 
and pack under the loops of twine so as to have a 
roll of stuffing all round the edges about 3 in. thick. 
Then tack another cover of hessian or scrym to the 
front rail and, before bringing the cover over to the 
back, fill up the top of the seat with cotton or 
woollen flock, letting it rise well in the centre. 
Throw the scrym over to the back and get the 
fibres of the cloth perfectly straight before tack- 
ing, which must be begun in the centre and 
worked to each end. Care must be taken not 




Fig. 67. — Couch Bottom Frame, showing - Position of Springs. 



to pull the cover too tight, as the stitching-up pro- 
cess will do this ; and if the surface is uneven, take 
out- or insert more flock, as may be required. The 
front, end, and back edge, up to where it meets the 
couch back, can now be blind-stitched and closed 
with not less than three rows of stitches well drawn 
and regulated. 

The couch head should next be treated. Have 
four webs on the head, and cover with hessian, which 
must be tacked to the stuffing scrolls. Loop the 
edges with twine, and tack a cover of hessian to the 
bottom of the inside of the head and up the sides of 
the stuffing scrolls. Leave the material rather 
slack, so that when filled with stuffing it will make a 
good swell at the bottom. Fill the loops, proceed- 



64 Upholstery. 

ing upwards, and use a stuffing stick to get the flock 
or fibre well into the corners. Set the stuffing by 
beating smartly with the hands, and keep the hes- 
sian cover straight. 

Having stuffed the head, stitch the front edge 
with four row r s of stitching ; it is not usual to stitch 
the back of the head of a serpentine back. To stuff 
the back, lay it flat on the bench or trestles, and web 
it across the rails, which are mostly upright. Cover 
the webs with hessian, loop the top edge with twine, 
fill witli well-picked fibre, and the centre with flock, 
making an even rise in the middle. Then cover with 
hessian, using the stuffing stick freely when tacking 
down to get a good-shaped firm edge. Then blind- 
stitch and close the curved edge only. 

The upholstering proper is now completed, and 
the next process is the covering, although it is 
usual to do the staining and polishing at this stage, 
leaving the final spiriting-off until the covers are on. 
If the cover is American cloth, get it 27 in. wide, 
which is stocked by most dealers. Measure the 
length of the seat, and allow 2 in. for stretching and 
cut-off. Warm the leather cloth in front of a fire 
as evenly as possible, taking care not to scorch it, 
especially in cold weather, when the enamelled sur- 
face is liable to crack and peel off. Heating the 
material allows it to expand, and when tacked it 
contracts and makes a tight job. Lay the cover on 
the seat, and tack it in the centre of the front rail 
close to the moulding. The cover should lie square, 
and the grain straight across. Stroke it with the 
hands, then grip the back edge with the uphol- 
sterers' pincers, and gently but firmly pull until the 
requisite tightness is obtained ; then tack. This 
operation requires care, as too much pressure is 
liable to burst the leather, which, if not stretched 
sufficiently, will form puckers and wrinkles when the 
seat has been used a few times. Work from tire 
centre to within 1 ft. of the seat corners, stretch the 



Upholstering Couches and Sofas. 65 

leather in the other direction — that is, from end to 
end — and commence tacking in the centre. Now 
work up to the extreme corners on the front and 
back, and then do the same with the ends. When 
this is finished, there will be a lap of 2 in. or 3 in. 
of double stuff. This must be neatly and tightly 
folded over and tacked, and the edges cleaned off 
with the hand knife. 

To cover the couch head, measure from under- 
neath the swell, over the top, and round the bolster 
to the scroll rail. Cut the length and warm it ; 
get the grain straight across, and insert a tack in 
the centre of the rebate on the edge of the front 
scroll. Stretch across from the back and tack at the 
back ; then tack the cover, commencing at the bot- 




Fig. 68. — Section of Couch Spring Seat. 

torn under the swell, and afterwards the front scroll. 
This part, on account of the curves, must be pleated 
or creased so that the stuff lies flat on the head. 
The pleats should graduate to the top of the sharp 
curve of the bolster, which should form a centre ; 
the pleats should fall on the opposite curve and form 
a shape similar to an outspread fan. The tacks 
should be inserted through the double thickness of 
stuff at the pleats. Now stretch the cover with the 
pincers to the back scroll and tack, following with 
the bolster head, which must be tacked under the 
cross rail. 

The head can now be buttoned ; about eleven 
buttons in three rows will be sufficient. These 
should be leather-covered to match the couch. As 
has been mentioned, a good method of securing the 
buttons is to leave the strings long enough to reach 

E 



66 



Upholstery. 



to the centre rail, tying them round a nail fixed in 
the edge of the rail. 

In covering the back, fasten the curved edges 




Fig. 69. —Section of Upholstered Back Rail. 

first, then stretch from the bottom and tack. Pass 
the hand knife round the edges and dress off all 
spare stuff. Next fasten some leather banding on 
the edges with brass or enamelled studs, fixed about 
1^ in. apart. The couch back should then be fixed 
in position and the outside covered with black linen, 
which is generally fixed with thin glue or paste. A 
piece should also be tacked to the edges of the stuff- 
ing scrolls underneath the head. 



2.6- — 




Fig. 70. — Frame of Cushion-seat Sofa. 

If the surface of the American leather is dull, due 
to heating, it should be rubbed with skim milk. 
Fig. 68 is a section of an upholstered couch seat, 



Upholstering Couches and Sofas. 



67 



the top f being a covering of hessian. Fig. G9 is a 
section of an upholstered back rail. 

To upholster in hair seating a cushion seat sofa 
similar to that whose frame is shown by Fig. 70, 





Fig. 71. — Flocks secured with Twine 

the materials required will be 5 yd. of hair-cloth, 
26 in. wide, 20 lb. of cotton flocks, 3 yd. of hessian, 
20 in. double width, 2\ yd. of black linen for under- 
neath the seat cushion and heads, 2 yd. of black 
book muslin for the back, 4 yd. of black glazed gimp, 
and a roll of German web if the sofa is to have a 
webbed bottom. 

Begin by taking off the back ; tack three strips 
of web over the inside of each head, and tack the 
hessian double width and thickness on the front of 
the inside scrolls. Throw over the top piece, and 




Fig. 72.— Stuffing Sofa Back. 

tack the other side over the back scroll, pulling it 
as tight as possible ; repeat this operation on the 
opposite head. Tack flocks -on the scroll edges with 
loops of twine, as shown at A, Fig. 71. If this pre- 
caution is not taken the flocks will slip away from 



68 Upholstery. 

the edge when the cover is pulled tight. Fasten 
the hessian double thickness underneath the ends, 
fill the space tight and even with flocks,, then tack 
the top piece over at the back. Now stitch up the 
edge with needle and twine along the front of both 
heads, b, Fig. 71 ; this is for the purpose of mak- 
in a firm, square edge. Cover the back frame 
with hessian, cutting out to shape at the top, and 
drawing tight and tacking (see Fig. 72). The stain- 
ing, bodying up, etc., is now done, but the final 
spiriting off should be left until the stuffing is 
finished. 

Now take the hair-seating and cut the whole 
length of the selvedge off one side ; tack this side 
to the front of the right-hand head, putting it as 
close up to the outside scroll as it is possible to get 





Fig. 73. — Tying Button. Fig. 74. — Section of Sofa 

Seat Cushion. 

it, creasing evenly and cutting out to accommodate 
the curves. Cut off the correct length at the 
bottom, and tack over at the back as tight as possi- 
ble. The inside of the head will naturally bag a 
little, but it will come all right when the buttonsTare 
drawn in. Cover the left head in the same way. 

The insides of the heads can now be buttoned. 
The proper buttons to be used are covered with 
hair-seating to match the cover. If these cannot 
be procured, ordinary black covered ones will do ; 
two rows will be sufficient. Thread the needle with 
twine and push through the tag of the button, then 
pass the needle right through the cover and stuff- 
ing, drawing out underneath the head ; put the other 
end of the twine through in the same way, pull both 
strings tight, place a leather tufting washer between 
the two ends of string and tie with a double knot 



Upholstering Couches and Sofas. 



6 9 



(see Fig. 73). After all the buttons have been drawn 
in, tack a piece of black linen underneath the heads 
from the end moulding to the top. 




o 



be 



Stuffing the back is a simple matter. The sec- 
tion of a cushion seat shown by Fig. 74 shows how 
this is done. Put two alternate rows of buttons 



7o 



Upholstery. 



across, about 5 in. apart. To make the seat cushion, 
draw a seam out | in. from the edge ; this should be 
stitched with black twist. It will look much better 





W~^ -r: -- 7~^ : .._ ^^_^_ = - 


—^-:^K 


& ;= -7 


1 






li( 


•M 


1 

I 
A 

1 


1; '/ 


! 

) c 




D 




I 

1 


1 \ 


•> 


\ 


', 
1 ^ 


! ! 







Fig-. 70. — Couch Stuffing- Rails in Seat. 

if piped with piping cord. Draw another seam out 
at a distance of 3 in. from the first; this is for the 




Fig'. 77. — Couch Stuffing Rails in Head. 

front. Cover the under-side with a piece of black 
linen ; let the seams be inside ; double the corners 
in neatly, and seam wrong side out, leaving a space 



Upholstering Couches axd Sofas. 



7* 



at the corner to put the flocks in ; then button with 
three rows of buttons alternately spaced. The seat 
cushion should be a full fit all round. 




Fig. 78.— Stuffing Drumhead Couch. 

The back is fastened with screws into the back 
frame and ends and, when fixed, must have a piece 
of black book muslin fastened with thin glue, and 
cut out to the shape of the back. The polished work 




Fig-. 70. — Cromwell Couch. 



can now be spirited off ; the legs can have the final 
coat of varnish, and the black gimp can be put on 
the ends and top of back to hide the tack heads. 



72 



Upholstery. 



The spring-seat couch shown by Fig. 75, of which 
Fig. 76 is the plan of stuffing rails in the seat, and 
Fig. 77 the stuffing rails in the head, differs from the 
one first described in this chapter by being webbed. 




In webbing the seat, tack the webs on to the 
rail a (Fig. 76), stretch them and tack on to rail b ; 
then, without cutting off, continue on to c and D, 
finishing off at E. In webbing the head of couch, 
begin at rail e (Fig. 77), tack to rail d, and on to c, 



Upholstering Couches and Sofas. 



73 



finishing off and then cross-webbing. The long arm 
can be webbed in the same manner as the bolster 




Fig. 81.— Couch Head Frame. 




Fig. 82. — Springing Couch Head. 



arms in an easy-chair. In springing, use twenty- 
four 8-in. springs for the seat, putting them in three 
rows of eight in each, twelve 4-in. springs for the 



74 Upholstery. 

long arm, and five C-in. springs for the head, placing 
them in the same positions as those in the back of 
the easy chair. 

The couch and sofa designs given previously in 
this chapter are, of course, subject to modifications, 
of which the following illustrations are examples. 
Fig. 78 shows a drum-head couch, and illustrates 
the method employed in stuffing it. Two rows of 
6-in. springs are put in the head A. The back is 
indicated at b, and the seat at c. In the Cromwell 
couch (Fig. 79) a distinctive feature is the back, the 
higher part against the head being stuffed, and ter- 
minating in a spindle rail at the foot. Cromwell 
furniture is usually of bold design, and inclined to be 
massive. 

The parlour couch shown by Fig. 80 should prove 
an easy subject for upholstering, after having 
mastered the directions already given. It has a 
spring seat, spring swell, and spring bolster-head. 
The construction of the couch head frame is shown 
in Fig. 81. In Fig. 82 is shown a part view of a 
swell and bolster head before beginning the first 
stuffing. Five springs are required for the swell, 
and four for the bolster head, each being fastened to 
the rail with wire staples. 



75 



CHAPTER TIL 

UPHOLSTERING FOOTSTOOLS, HASSOCKS, ETC. 

Birch is a very suitable wood for making the foot- 
stool shown in the front elevation Fig. 83, being 
very clean to work, and allowing a good finish to be 
got in the turned portions. Of course, the stool 
may also be constructed of oak, walnut, or mahog- 
any, as may be most in harmony with the surround- 
ing furniture. The stool measures round the frame 
1 ft. square. The corner pillars are 1 in. thick when 
finished and 6 in. long ; of these, four will be re- 




Fig. 83.— Upholstered Footstool. 



quired. The eight spindle rails are If in. by | in., 
and have a double bead run through the centre of 
the face side only. These rails are stump-tenoned 
into the corner pillars to the depth of ^ in. at each 
end. Sixteen spindles, each 2\ in. long, are secured 
to the rails with tenons at each end f in. diameter, 
turned in the lathe, fitting into holes bored in the 
insides of the rails at equal distances apart. The 



76 Upholstery. 

top board, which forms a foundation for the seat, is 
of pine 1 ft. 1 in. square by f in. thick ; this will give 
\ in. of a lap all round the frame. It is secured to 
the frame by screws passing into the top of each 
corner pillar. 

The velvet covering for the top must not be less 
than 16 in. square. Begin stuffing the top by pick- 
ing balls of flocks on all round the edge with loops 
of twine tacked fast, about 3 in. apart (see Fig. 84) ; 
tack the velvet cover fast on two sides, and fill up 
all the space with flocks, letting the centre rise well 
up. Then tack the other two sides. The top should 
now have a square appearance all round the edges ; 
cut off straight, then run a narrow scroll gimp round 
the edges, securing this with black gimp pins. 




Fig-. 84.— Stuffed Top of Stool. 

Fender stools or fenderettes are almost entirely 
unknown in some parts of the country. Placed in 
front of the curb, or fender, they become resting- 
places for the feet in place of the tops of polished 
curbs or fenders. Fig. 85 is a typical design. The 
material for it should preferably be some hard wood, 
such as oak, walnut, mahogany, etc., or the design 
would look exceedingly effective in brown oak with 
copper corner-plates, and a crimson leather up- 
holstered top. The length depends on the length 
of the existing curb or fender, and the dimension 
given in Fig. 86 is merely a common length of par- 
lour-suite curbs. Fig. 87 is a cross section. The 
top consists of a board 9 in. wide and f in. thick, 
and should overhang the box portion f in. all round ; 
it is secured by 1^-in. screws to the body, stouter 
and larger screws being used at the corners. The 
metal corner brackets can each be cut to pattern 
from pieces 6 in. square ; they should be of No, 



Upholstering Footstools, Hassocks, etc. 77 






M 
)//, 



if/Jt 



78 



Upholstery. 



14 b.w.g. copper, and are fixed by ornamental 
snap-headed brass screws. Before they are finally 
placed in position the show-wood portions should 
be polished, or at least bodied up, and the copper 
plates lacquered. 




Fig. 87. — Cross Saction of Fenderette. 

The top is stuffed up plain, no springs being re- 
quired. The stuffing is first finished right out in 
scrym or hessian, and should rise about 2 in. thick 
with a good roll round the edges. On this should 
be set out the diamonds, which should measure 6 
in. by 4 in. In marking them out, add 1^ in. to each 
dimension, thus making each diamond % in. by 5^ 
in. Snip out the joints of the diamonds where the 
tufts sink, and work away the stuffing with the re- 




Hassock. 



gulator. Care should be exercised in the choice 
of the outside covering, for American leather cloths 
and other enamelled surfaced materials are apt to 
become soft with the heat of the fibre, while pile 



Upholstering Footstools, Hassocks, etc. 79 

fabrics are very inflammable, and are unsuitable for 
the purpose. The best material is morocco, or, fail- 
ing this, roan skin. The joins must then come in 
at the plaits, and the tufts are formed with leather- 




Fig. 89. — Front of Hassock Stuffing- Box. 

covered button nails, which must be knocked well 
down. The plaits at the edges should stand straight 
up, and the borders should be finished with leather 
banding fixed with copper-headed studs. 

To stuff a hassock, Fig. 88, first make a stuffing 
box of lz-in. deal, as shown at Figs. 89 and 90, which 
are front and end elevations. The bottom, front, 
and back are trenched for the ends, as shown by 
dotted lines ; the ends of the bottom project about 
3 in., and four holes are bored in these for screws to 




Fig. 90. — Enl of Hassock Stuffing- Box. 

secure the box to the bench during the process of 
stuffing. The front, back, and lid also run beyond 
the box ends 1^ in. The lid is not trenched, but has 
four slot holes for the screw eyes which stand up 



So Upholstery. 

sufficient to admit a J-in. iron skewer (Fig. 91) when 
the box is closed. Two screw eyes are threaded into 
the top edges of each of the ends. The front of the 
box is 1^ in. lower than the back for finishing off 
the stuffing when the lid is placed on. 

The hassock cover is made inside out, of course, 
the top and the four sides being usually of felt carpet 
and the bottom of stiff holland. An opening about 
6 in. long is left in the centre of one of the long 
sides of the bottom. The process of stuffing is as 
follows: The stuffing box should be screwed down 



Fig. 91. — Iron Skewer. 



to the bench and, the lid being removed, the hassock 
is placed upside down in the box, with the opening 
mentioned in the front. Shavings or pieces of straw 
are then rammed in through this opening by means 
of the stuffing stick until nearing the top, when the 
lid is placed on and the stuffing completed. The lid 
may then be removed and the hassock taken out, 
when, if it has been worked properly, it will have a 
compact appearance. The mouth should be sewn 
up and a string, well knotted underneath, passed 
through the centre, with a button on the top, as in 
Fig. 88. 



CHAPTER VIII. 

MISCELLANEOUS UPHOLSTERY. 

A settee is shown in elevation by Figs. 92 and 93. 
The cover and banding are fixed to and should lie 
flush with the rails when the upholstering is finished. 
Assuming that the framing is ready for upholstering, 
cross-web the bottom of the settle with 2-in. Ger- 
man web, as shown in Fig. 94, and tack some coarse 
canvas about 15 in. wide from side to side and from 
end to end on top of the web. Now take a strip of 
canvas 1 ft. 6 in. wide, and nail it along the front of 
the inside rail. Fill the space inside with flocks to 
a height of 3 in., and when this has been levelled, 
stay-tack the other side of the under-lining along 
the back as evenly as possible. Fold the ends over, 
stuffing with flocks to form a square edge before 
finally tacking down. Let the creases at the ends 
come to the corners, and fold over and tack the 
double thickness. The edges of the front and ends 
of the seat can now be drawn and stitched. 

The edges of the stuffing on the front can next be 
stitched up, as shown in Fig. 95, and to prevent the 
sharp edge of the stuffing rail being felt through, 
and cutting, the cover, put in a row of blind 
stitches and three rows of through stitches. Fig. 96 
shows a section of the seat after the front edge is 
stitched. It is not usual to stitch the back edge. 

The back-rest will not require webbing, a piece of 
canvas tacked all round being sufficient for the 
foundation. An under-lining of canvas can also be 
dispensed with, the flocks lying between the canvas 
foundation and the outside cover. After the stuffing 
has been completed the staining and varnishing of 

F 



82 



Upholstery. 




Miscellaneous Upholstery. 



83 



the woodwork can be done, when the settle will be 
ready for the outside cover. This can be of any 
material, according to taste. If hair-seating is 
used, narrow black gimp must be run round the seat 




Fig. 94.— Webbing- Bottom of Settle. 

to hide the tacks used for fastening down the out- 
side cover, and also to give the settle a neat appear- 
ance. The gimp is secured with black enamelled 
gimp pins. If leather or American cloth is used as 
a covering, narrow leather banding of the same 
colour as the cover can be used instead of the gimp, 
and can be fastened down with brass or enamelled 
studs driven in at regular distances apart. 




Fig. 95.— Section of Settle 
Seat before Stitching. 



Fig. 90.— Section of Settle 
Seat after Stitching. 



With regard to the upholstering of a divan settee 
of the section shown by Fig. 97, eighteen 8-in. 
springs, placed in six rows of three each, will be 
required for the seat, and twelve 6-in. springs put 



84 Upholstery. 

in zigzag form for the back. If spring bolster arms 
are placed on, put three 4-in. springs to each arm. 
For the covering will be required four 22-in. bags, 
two for the seat and two for the back ; and two 18- 
in. bags for the bolster arms. About 6 yd. of 
Utrecht velvet will be wanted for the surrounds, and 
4 yd. of 6-in. fringe for the trimming. Fig. 97 makes 
the mode of working quite clear, after all that has 
been said. 




Fi<>\ 97. — Section of Divan Settee. 

The upholstering of a rectangular music stool 
seat is a simple matter. English webbing should be 
stretched as tight as possible, and tacked on the 
upper side, as shown in Fig. 98. A good quality 
canvas is then tightly stretched and tacked over the 
webbing, and a rib of 1-in. square wood screwed 
on all round for the padding. This is done by 
tacking a strip of canvas, 4 in. wide, round the out- 
side of the frame, putting flocks on the rib, and 
covering with the canvas. This should be tacked 



Miscellaneous Upholstery. 



85 



to the inside of the rib, and stitched round with 
special twine, using a 6-in. double-pointed needle. 
Fig. 99 shows the method of stitching. Hair should 
be used for stuffing. It should be first well teased 




98.— Underside of Music Stool Seat. 



out, as it will then retain its spring, and keep the 
cushion soft, and it will not get flat as when flocks 
are used. The hair is covered with strong calico or 
canvas, tacked to the edges of the frame, and then 
a sheet of wadding must be laid over, and the final 
covering put on. Crimson silk plush or Utrecht vel- 
vet is suitable for the music stool. The tack heads 




Fig. 90.— Stitchmg^Music Stool Seat. 

are covered with a gimp to match, small-headed 
gimp pins being used for securing the gimp. The 
underside of the seat should be covered with a twill 
lining material of suitable colour, which is stretched 



86 Upholstery. ' 

tightly and tacked on. A strip of mahogany 5 ft. 
long by 1^ in. wide by \ in. thick, with one edge 
rounded, should be worked on round the under- 
side of the seat. It is mitred at the corners, and 
screwed on, but 'should first be polished, as this is 
not conveniently done when fixed, and the stool is 
handier for polishing with the seat off. 

To convert a chair with perforated seat, into a 
cushion seat chair, first remove the perforated bot- 
tom, web the open space with four lines of chair 
webbing, crossways, then cover this with hessian. 
Tack this tightly round the rebate, and cut off sur- 
plus stuff. Take another piece of canvas rather 
larger than the first piece, and tack it fast halfway 
round, leaving about 3 in. of gather at the top. 
Stuff this space with flocks, then tack a few inches 
at a time of the remaining half until complete. 
Place the leather on the top of the seat, and make 
even creases until the leather lies flat in the rebate, 
then button right through with leather-covered but- 
tons ; draw these down tight underneath, so as to 
make the seat look well puffed on the top. Now 
tack the leather round the rebate, and to hide the 
tack heads run a narrow gilt-edged leather band- 
ing round the seat, securing the banding with 
brass-headed nails or enamelled studs at equal 
distances apart. 

A spring seat can be put into an arm-chair at 
present supplied with the usual wooden seat. To 
do so, remove the wooden seat, and fix three battens 
across, 3 in. wide by f in. thick, to act as spring 
rails. If the seat rails are 2 in. deep, nail on the 
top all round pieces of stuff, 1^ in. thick, for stuffing 
rails (see Fig. 100). These rails should form a re- 
bate, as shown. Six 8-in. upholstery springs will 
be required. These are secured to the spring rails 
with f-in. staples placed round the bottom coil and 
driven into the wood. A cover of coarse canvas is 
put on the top, and tacked fast at the front ; then 



Miscellaneous Upholstery. 



*7 



pull the cover down at the back until the springs are 
compressed by about one-third of their length, and 
tack them fast in this position. The springs are 
securely stitched by the top coil to the cover with 
strong twine. Loop the edges with twine and fill 
them hard with well-pulled fibre or rag-flock, cover 
with scrym, and blind-stitch, and fasten with not 
less than three rows of stitching. Fill up with flock 
or hair, well picked on, and cover with sheet wad- 
ding, cased in with unbleached calico. Any stain- 
ing, polishing, etc., should be done before the outer 
covering is put on. Should the covering be of 
leather or leather-cloth, finish the edges with leather 
banding secured with brass or leather-headed studs ; 




Fig. 100. — Section of Arm-chair Spring Seat. 



if covered with soft material, such as velvet, repps, 
etc., run a narrow scroll gimp round it. 

Upholstered seating such as is used in restau- 
rants, billiard rooms, public-house bars, etc., is 
generally stuffed solid — that is, without springs ; 
cotton flocks may be used for stufling, but hair is far 
better. The chief objection to flocks is that after 
about a month's wear the whole thing would look 
like two bags of loose stuffing, and in the back it 
would all slip away from the top edge down to the 
bottom. The seat should have an underlining of 
canvas a, Fig. 101, between the outside cover b and 
flocks c. The section, Fig. 101, shows the method 
of working. Tack the leather for the back rest on 
the bottom edge first, fill up the space with flocks, 
stroke upwards till tight, and nail at the top. Be- 



88 Upholstery. 

gin from the front for the seat and work over to the 
back ; when finished, run a narrow leather banding 
round to hide the tack heads ; this can be secured 
with brass-headed nails or enamelled studs at equal 
distances apart. Crockett's American leather will 
be a suitable material for the outside cover. 

More detailed instructions on doing such work, 
supposing, however, that a spring seat with hair 
stuffing is desired, may now be given. Web the 
frame closely on the underside of the seat, and then 
turn over and sew in 7-in. springs, or 8-in. if a deep 
seat is required. For an ordinary-sized seat, three 
rows of springs are sufficient, the front row to be 
about 2 in. from inside of front rail. Tie down even 
with laid cord, and cover with best spring canvas. 
(If a firm seat is required, web on the top of seat 
frame, and cover with the canvas, but leave out the 
springs.) It should now be first stuffed with hair, 
and stitched up to a sharp edge with not less than 
four rows of stitching. When first stuffed, pick on 
a good layer of hair, and cover with a good un- 
bleached calico. Proceed with the back before 
covering the seat. First put a few webs both in the 
length and width, and then cover with canvas — of 
course, on the front side of the back. Cut a piece 
of scrym about 15 in. wide and 1 ft. longer than the 
back, and sew on 8 in. or 9 in. above the stuffing 
rail ; stuff it with either fibre or alva to make a good 
swell, and then push the free edge of scrym under 
the stuffing rail, and tack to the back of same, and 
not to the seat rail. Sew a narrower piece to the 
top of the back 3 in. from the top edge, and fill as 
at the bottom, making a smaller roll. A strip of 
scrym must now be sewn on each end, and stuffed 
and stitched up to a sharp edge to about the shape 
shown in Fig. 101. Make some stitches or loops of 
twine all along the back, and pick on the hair to fill 
up the hollow which the rolls have left in the back. 
Pick the hair on as near to the shape as possible, 



MlSCELLANEO US Up HOLSTER V. 



8 9 



taking care not to use too much or else it will be 
hard, and then cover with the calico. 

The seat is now ready for covering in any de- 
sired material, and for the purpose required the 
best Crockett's American cloth is probably most 
suitable, as has been advised already. Cover the 
back first, tacking it down round the outside back 
and the bottom edge up to the stuffing rail of back. 




Fig. 101. — Upholstered Bar Seating. 

Now cover the seat in the same way, tacking to the 
extreme bottom front edge of seat frame and to 
the stuffing rail of back — not to the seat rail ; this 
prevents, to a great extent, dust and articles getting 
down between the seat and back. Then line up the 
outside back, either with a piece of black linen or 
cheap American cloth. Stud and band round the 
seat, and also the back if desired ; the settee is 
then finished. The back could be buttoned accord- 



90 



Upholstery, 



ing to the instructions already given, but in this 
case the work would require considerable skill. 

To convert a cushion seat couch to a spring seat 
couch, first take off the couch back, which generally 
is nailed or screwed to the body along the bottom 
and into the head. If the bottom is boarded, re- 
move the boards, and put a stuffing rail on the 
front 2 in. high ; this will leave a rebate for tacking, 
banding, etc. If a very soft seat is desired, cross- 
web the bottom with best spring webbing. If 
spring rails are required, let in five at equal dis- 



: ••W-'r^ 






SI 









m 




Fig. 102. — Laths and Matchboarding to Support 
Cushion Seat. 



tances apart in the front and back rails. Ten 8-in. 
spiral springs will be wanted ; secure two to each 
spring rail with wire staples, or, if a webbed bot- 
tom, tie fast with strong twine through the web. 
Cover the bottom over the springs with coarse 
canvas, tack on the front side securely, and pull 
down the other till the springs are compressed 
about a quarter their length ; then tack the other 
side. The worker should put his arm under the 
ends and place the springs in an upright position ; 
then stitch fast to the cover with needle and twine. 
Put on a layer of flocks about 2 in. thick, cover the 
top with another piece of canvas, and tack fast all 
round ; stitch up the front edge to a fine point with 
four rows of stitches. The couch will now be ready 
for outside covering. 



Miscellaneous Upholstery. ] 91 

To convert a spring seat couch to a cushion seat 
couch, the first job, as in the above, is to take off 
the back ; rip up the linen backing and the screw 
heads will be seen. Cut the webs and under-linings 
and clear out all the old stuffing, knocking out as 
many of the old tacks as possible. There are two 
methods of preparing the bottom frame for a 
cushion seat. One method is to place on the bottom 
pine laths 2 in. wide by f in. thick (see A, Fig. 102) ; 
these laths are let in flush with the top of the side 
rails, and webbed on the top lengthways of the seat 
only. The second method (see b, Fig. 102) is to 
board the whole of the top with |-in. matchboard- 
ing ; this makes a very serviceable but rather hard 
seat. Whichever of the two methods is adopted, it 
will be necessary to cover the edges with a mould- 
ing the full depth of the rails, which may be 3 in. 



<f^x^ 



Fig. 103.— Moulding for Edges of Cushion Seat. 

A suitable design for the moulding is shown in Fig. 
103. The curved end will either have to be worked 
from the solid or saw kerfed to allow of its being 
bent to the sweep. Instructions on making a 
squab for a cushion seat are given in Chapter III. 

In upholstering the back-rests of a pony trap, 
it is advisable to finish right out in canvas before 
putting on the outside covering, and to begin stuff- 
ing in the middle and work to each end alternately, 
v, ell stretching the scrym and working in the stuffing 
with the fork stick. Corduroys and other stout 
materials need stretching well to avoid wrinkles. 
The back-rest can be tufted with button nails, when 
the wrinkles will form part of the tuft settings and 
will not be noticed. 

Instructions on making a pleated back squab 
or cushion for a carriage may here be given. To 
get the size of the squab, the part that has to be 



92 Upholstery. 

filled should be loosely fitted with canvas ; care- 
fully mark round it to get the exact shape and size. 
This canvas is then laid on the bench, and the posi- 
tions of the tufts and pleats are set out. To get the 
fulness for the pleating and stuffing, make eleva- 
tions of the finished squab. From this drawing 
measure with the tape the amount of fulness re- 
quired, and cut the material accordingly. If cloth 
is used, the pleats, after being marked out from the 
canvas, are ironed to give them form ; if morocco is 
employed, the pleats are folded with the faces to- 
gether and hammered on the lap or flat iron. When 
all the pleats are formed, the holes for the tufts are 
punched through the two thicknesses. Various 
methods are employed in making up the squabs. 
They are sometimes made on a frame ; at others 
they are made on stout canvas and fixed to the 
bench ; and sometimes the front is tacked to the 
back, and partly stuffed before the tufts are put in. 
Whichever method is adopted, be careful to keep a 
uniform fulness between the pleats and to get them 
to line flat and true. 



93 



CHAPTER IX. 

MATTRESS MAKING AND REPAIRING. 

The manufacture of bedding is looked upon as the 
work of an upholsterer, though, as a matter of fact, 
it is quite a separate trade. A mattress or a bed- 
ding hand but seldom knows anything of uphol- 
stery ; but most upholsterers can make bedding, 
though not so well as a manufacturer of bedding. 

The greatest care is necessary to ensure absolute 
purity and cleanliness of the materials used in bed- 
ding manufacture. Some manufacturers are not at 
all particular about the filling of a bed or mattress, 
and will use any old stuffing ; this may be full of 
moths, in which case it is advisable to send the 
article to be stoved immediately, or, better still, to 
destroy it altogether. Moths go only into animal 
matter such as hair wool, or feathers, and never 
take up their abode or lay their eggs in alva, fibre, 
grasses, or cotton flocks. Other manufacturers who 
are not particular put in the fillings in a wet or damp 
condition. 

With regard to the various fillings used in the 
manufacture of bedding, horsehair is the best mate- 
rial for mattresses ; it does not retain the heat of 
the body, as wool does, and is therefore more 
healthy. The quality of hair is determined by its 
length, colour, and life or elasticity. Pig hair is 
often mistaken for horsehair. One of the most 
common fillings used is shoddy, or woollen flock. 
This is manufactured from old and new cloth cut- 
tings, but more especially from old clothes, which 
are torn into shreds in a carding machine. Fibres 
are used a great deal in the manufacture of heckling. 



94 Upholstery. 

The coir, or cocoanut fibre, is not to be recom- 
mended, as it soon becomes hard and gets matted 
together. Grasses also make capital fillings for 
bedding, the Algerian and prairie varieties being 
specialty suited for the purpose. Then there are 
the various mill puffs and cotton flocks, and the fly 
flock. 

The feathers used for the filling of beds are 
shipped to England in their raw state, and come 
chiefly from China. They are thoroughly washed or 
steamed in what is known as a feather kettle, and 
afterwards blown and sorted. Kapok, or vegetable 
down, isi a very light and soft-filling material, and is 
used chiefly for sofa and couch pillows, for which it 
is particularly adapted. This vegetable down is in 
reality thistle-down. White wool, or sheep's 
wool, is the best wool for filling purposes, although 
blanket and other manufactured so-called wools are 
used for cheapness. Alva, or seaweed, although 
used in small quantities for bedding, is chiefly used 
for upholstering furniture. Wood wool, or shavings, 
is also used. These fillings have their nature and 
properties described in Chapter I. 

Ten pounds per foot of the common wools should 
give a good full mattress, and 9 lb. per foot of good 
wool or medium hair, whilst 8 lb. per foot of the best 
hair will be found ample. The foot is taken across 
the width of the mattress, not the length. It is 
essential that the mattress should be tied down 
tightly, to prevent the filling from shifting. Some 
mattresses, especially French ones, are cased— that 
is, they have a layer of wool at the top, bottom, 
sides, and ends, with horsehair in the centre. The 
object of casing with wool is to ease the harshness 
of the hair. 

A mattress is a thick stuffed squab or cushion 
used in modern bed upholstery as an overlay on the 
bed-laths or on spring and woven-wire mattresses. 
As has been said, many fillings are used, a 



Mattress Making and Repairing. 95 

few of them being wheat straw, cotton flocks, wool- 
len flocks, various vegetable fibres, curled horse- 
hair, etc. ; but, whatever the material, it must be 
thoroughly cleaned and purified, and teased and 
dressed at least once every two years. Mattresses 
stuffed with straw are known as palliasses, and 
stuffed wool or hair mattresses are often called 
overlays when used with a woven-wire mattress as 
a foundation. In some parts of the country wool 
and feather beds are used in addition to an overlay 
mattress. 

Mattresses are divided into three patterns : (1) 
stuffed mattresses ; (2) upholstered mattresses, 
which generally consist. of two wood frames with 
spiral springs between them and upholstered on the 
top, or they may be in the form of a shallow box, 
with the springs between strong webbing ; (3) 
woven-wire mattresses, which consist of a stout wire 
netting stretched on a wood frame, and capable of 
contraction or expansion by the aid of turnscrews. 

The coverings or cases of mattresses are made 
from ticking, a stout material of 58-in. standard 
width. It can be obtained in cotton or in union, the 
latter being a mixture ; jute-cloth and linen are 
also used for hair mattresses and feather beds. Tick- 
ing is in a variety of colours and weaves, the most 
common being plain weave ; drill, which is plain on 
one side and twill on the other; and satin, or 
sateen, which has a fine lustrous surface, due to the 
warp-threads being well flushed to the face of the 
cloth to permit a special method of finishing. The 
price of ticking may vary from 9d. per yard for the 
cotton or jute variety to 5s. 6d. per yard for a first- 
class linen ticking. 

Mattress ribbons and stuffings are fully dealt 
with on pp. 19 and 20. 

Mattresses are made up to fit bedsteads in 
standard sizes as follows : — 3 ft., 3 ft. 6 in., 4 ft., and 
4 ft. 6 in. wide, and either 6 ft. or 6 ft. 6 in. long. 



9 6 



Upholstery. 



Cot mattresses are 1 ft. 6 in. by 2 ft. 6 in., and a 
full-sized mattress is 4 ft. 6 in. wide by 6 ft. 6 in. 
long. The thicknesses of stuffed mattresses vary 
from 4 in. to 6 in. 

A description will now be given of the manu- 
facture of a stuffed wool mattress 6 ft. 6 in. long by 
4 ft. 6 in. wide and 5 in. thick ; it is to be made all in 
one piece to roll up, with fancy borders, tufted sides 
and edges, and must be reversible. 

The cutting out should be done first, and for the 
top and bottom two pieces of Leeds stripe ticking, 
each 6 ft. 10 in. long by 4 ft. 10 in. wide, will be 
wanted ; for a mattress not requiring to be made 



Fig. 101.— Top of Mattress Case. 



reversible the bottom cover would be made of plain 
cotton or jute cloth. For the borders, have two side 
pieces each 6 in. by 6 ft. 10 in. and two end pieces 
each 6 in. wide by 4 ft. 10 in. long ; these border 
pieces are cut from ticking known as fancy Belgian, 
and must be cut across the piece so as to throw the 
stripe in the opposite direction to the top and bot- 
tom stripes. To get the length for the side, two 
pieces must be seamed together and the pattern 
matched. For the seams about 16 yd. of mattress 
ribbon will be required. 

In cutting a mattress case, 1 in. extra should be 
allowed for each 1 ft. length, and % in. in the width. 



Mattress Making axd Repairing. 97 

For example, suppose a 4-ft. 6-in. by 6-ft. mattress 
is required, it should be cut 4 ft. 8} in. by 6 ft. 6 in. 
When a mattress is to be filled with wool, a trifle 
less may be allowed, as there is not so much taken 
up in the tying down of a wool mattress as in the 
case of hair. 

To make the case, machine the ticking cut for 
the top with all four borders on the edge with- right 
side up (see Fig. 104), allowing about \ in. from the 
edge to the seam ; this will throw the raw edges and 
selvedges on the outside of the case. These are now 
strapped by the mattress ribbons being folded over 
the seam and machined through the double thick- 
ness ; some persons baste the ribbons on before 
machining. 




Fig. 105. — Section of Strapped Seam. 

One continuous length of ribbon is used for all 
four edges, and the cornersare slightly rounded. 
Fig. 105 shows a section of the strapped seams. The 
bottom piece is next seamed to the free edges of the 
borders, with the exception of a space about 2 ft. 
wide at one end for filling purposes ; these edge 
seams are strapped in a similar manner, and the 
corners of the borders are seamed inside with a 
needle and thread. The case is now ready for the 
fillings, which should be a soft, well-teased wool 
flock. No definite rule can be laid down as to the 
quantity required, for this may vary from 40 lb. 
to 60 lb. for a mattress of this size. 

To stuff the mattress case, place it, say, on a 
flat table top, and to prevent curling fasten the end 

G 



98 



Upholstery. 



which is stitched with a bradawl or a tack at each 
corner. Put about 10 lb. of flocks in the open end, 
and work these well into the corners and against 
the bottom border with a stout stuffing stick (Fig. 
19, p. 27). Set up the mattress by beating smartly 
with the hands, and be careful to have the extreme 
corners well filled but not hard. Fill with more 
flocks, using the stuffing stick freely to lay them 
even, and set up the borders so that they are square 
with the top and bottom ; the correct shape of the 
mattress depends on this being done properly. 
Continue the stuffing and setting until rather more 



O • 

• © • © p © e 

SCO o o © 

• 9 9 • © © © 

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Fig. 106. Fig-. 107. 

Figs. 10G and 107. — Arrangements of Mattress Tufts. 



than half the case is filled, when this portion will 
be ready for tufting. 

For tufting, a packet of stamped tufts will be 
wanted ; these are sold in leather, leather cloth, 
and various colours and qualities of woollen cloths ; 
in addition, a mattress needle and a ^-lb. ball of 
best upholsterers' twine will be needed. The mat- 
tress needle is from 8 in. to 10 in. long and pointed 
at each end. The tufts can be set out in straight 
rows (Fig. 106) or diamonds (Fig. 107) ; the first 
method will allow of the mattress being rolled 
better, although by the second method it will have 
an improved appearance. Take out the awls or 



Mattress Making and Repairing. 99 

tacks which hold the corners, and see that the case 
is straight and "free from creases. Thread up the 
needle with twine and pass it through the mattress 
6 in. from the bottom edge and at the same distance 
from the side. Draw out the needle on the opposite 
side and pass it back again 1 in. nearer the centre, 
and take hold of both ends of the twine and pull it 
up. Then place a leather or cloth tuft with the 
slits between the twine, make a slip knot at the 
free end, and draw it tight until the tufts sink 
about \\ in. into the stuffing ; then tie off securely 
and cut the thread. The remainder of the tufts are 
put on in exactly the same way ; allow a space of 
6 in. between the rows and the same distance be- 
tween each tuft. Tie all the tufts as nearly ailike as 
possible, or an uneven appearance will result. 

The other half of the mattress can be stuffed and 
tufted in the same manner and the open portion 
sewn up. The mattress, when completed, should 
be firm but not hard, and the borders should stand 
square with the top and bottom. 

As a vermin preventive, it is a good plan to add 
with the stuffing material a small quantity of lump 
camphor, sewn up in linen bags. Sprinkling the 
fillings with a few drops of oil of lavender is 
another preventive. 

Another method of tufting a mattress is indi- 
cated in Fig. 108. Use a piece of chalk, sharpened 
to a point, and a rule, and with these mark off 
4 in. from each corner; draw a chalk line from 
each point marked off, and divide into equal parts 
of about 12 in., as the length may come in ; draw 
crossr-lines as shown in Fig. 108, and where the 
dotted lines cross will be the position of the tufts. 
At the points where the tufts are to be, make a 
small hole by pushing a regulator through, as the 
chalk marks will mostly rub out in working. 

Having done this, put in temporary tufts by 
drawing the twine loosely through the diamond on 

L OF C. 



ioo Upholstery. 

either side of the centre one. This is done to pre- 
vent the hair from shifting. Next take a regulator, 
and, by pushing it partly through the ticking, 
draw the hair well into the corners and border. 
Now take the stitching twine, and cut off about 
2 yd., tie a knot or two, one on top of the other, at 
one end. Put the needle through the border from 
above, bringing it out on the border about 1 in. from 
the binding ; draw through the twine, leaving the 
knot inside the border. 

Put the needle in again about \ in. from point of 



12 ix. 12 ix. * 
* - - * i i>. 



' \ / \ I 

N / S ■ 

N / « 

H I 

Fiy. 108.— Setting- out Tufting. 



drawing through, working the needle well into the 
hair and drawing it half-w r ay through the top of 
tick. Push it back to border, keeping well to top of 
tick. This gives the twine a nice grip of the hair, 
and draws it well into the "edge." Draw the 
needle right through border, about 2 in. to 2^ in. to 
right of point of entering. Now catch the project- 
ing ends of the twine, give them a pull at the same 
time, intending to draw the hair to the edge, then 
pull the twine right through and proceed. Having 
finished top side of stitching, turn the mattress 
upside down, and continue as before. 



Mattress Making and Repairing. ioi 

Hair mattresses, on account of the springy nature 
of the stuffing, require a much stronger ticking than 
flock mattresses, and the ordinary cotton or union 
ticking will be penetrated unless the inner surface 
is covered with melted beeswax. The ticking for 
hair mattresses, should be a pure linen cloth, and 
the commonest patterns are a light blue and white 
stripe ; this material is obtainable 63 in. wide, and 
by a method of joining known as mock-edging, a 
case can be made for a bedstead measuring 6 ft. by 
4 ft. 6 in. wide from two widths. For a hair mattress 
6 ft. long by 4 ft. 6 in. wide, 13 ft. of ticking, 63 in. 
wide, will be required ; this is cut in two lengths of 
6 ft. 6 in. machined together inside out ; then over- 
seam the edge through the double thickness of the 



</3 oCfo-V^ -MvTv3 »}<5- 



Jfsr 



Fig. 109. — Section of Hair Mattress. 

stuff, and I in. from the joining seam (see Fig. 109). 
Measure 6 in. from this seam on a long side, and 
make a mock seam through the double thickness to 
show a border 6 in. wide the full length of the case. 
The opposite side is done in the same manner, ex- 
cept that the joining seam will be on the opposite 
side of the border. The ends of the case can be 
either plain seamed or square edged at the borders, 
and the length given for stuff will allow of square 
ends, a space by which the stuffing can be added 
being left open at one end. From 65 lb. to 75 lb. 
of curled horse-hair will be required for a mattress 
of the size given, and the hair must be well pulled 
and picked when taken from the bale and inserted 
in the open end of the tick. Work it well into the 



102 Upholstery, 

corners with the stuffing stick, and stuff evenly and 
free from lumps, letting the surface rise to a good 
swell, and keeping the borders firm and square. 
The tick should be occasionally turned in order to 



110.— Blind-stitching. 



stuff fairly on both sides. When half the case is 
stuffed it can be tufted. (Some workers finish filling 
and sew the mouth before tufting.) Use only the 
best twine for tufting. Note that the tufts must be 
tied in as near the same depth as possible. Stuff 
and tuft the other half of the case and seam the open 
end, when the mattress will be ready for blind- 
stitching (see Fig. 110), which gives the borders a 
permanent square edge. 

The principle of the blind stitch is shown in 
Fig. Ill, and has already been described in Chapter 
III. There is more than one kind of blind stitch, 
and Figs. Ill and 112 are given for purposes of com- 
parison. The process may be briefly recapitated. 
Thread the mattress needle with good twine, place 
the point 2 in. from the top edge on the border side, 
and pass the needle through the mattress, letting 




Fig. 111. — Blind-stitching in Section. 

the point come out about 4 in. from the edge on the 
top of the mattress ; do not withdraw the needle 
entirely, but back it out on the border at a distance 
of 4 in. from where it was first inserted (see Figs. 1 13 



Mattress Making axd Repairing. 103 

and 114). The needle is double-pointed for this pur- 
pose. Inside the mattress a large loop of twine is 
thus left which, when drawn tight, pulls all the hair 
contained in the stitch against the border. The 



Fig. 112.— Another Kind of Blind-stitchirg. 

stitching is continued all round the mattress, two 
rows being quite sufficient, and if this is properly 
done, the mattress will have a firm square edge 
which, with reasonable treatment, will keep for 
some time. The mattress is now set up by beating 
smartly with the hands, and is then complete. 

For a cot mattress, the width of the ticking (4 ft. 
10 in.) can be used for the length. In cutting, allow 
\ in. to the foot both ways. The borders, which 
should be 4 in. deep, should be cut on the cross from 
fancy Belgian ticking. The cases are seamed right 
side out, the seams being strapped afterwards with 
mattress ribbon — 20 lb. of wool flock, or 10 lb. of 
wool and 8 lb. of hair, will be sufficient, providing 





F.g. 113. 
Fisrs. 113 and 11 J.— Makin. 



Fio-. 114. 
the Blind-stitcb 



the materials are of fair quality. Tuft with 9-in. 
diamonds, using crimson felt. To set the borders, 
they will require blind-stitching with two rows. 
A case for a good feather bed should be bordered 



io4 Upholstery. 

and welted. The soaping or waxing of ticks, to pre- 
vent the feathers working through, which they are 
bound to do after some years' wear, is strongly re- 
commended. On the average, 8 lb. of feathers to 
1 ft. will make a good bed. After being filled and 
sewn up, the bed should be well shaken and beaten. 

To cut a pillow, 1 in. each way is allowed. The 
weight of an ordinary sized pillow (18 in. by 27 in.) 
is about 3 lb. ; but with all bedding the weights 
should be determined by the filling properties of the 
material used, w T hich differ a great deal. It will be 
seen by the following that the weight's for the same 
sized pillow differ with the use of feathers* of dif- 
ferent quality : Poultry feathers, 3 lb. ; mixed greys, 
2f lb. ; grey goose, 2\ lb. ; white goose, 2$ lb. If 
white down is used for filling, 1^ lb. will be ample. 
When filled with down or good feathers, the pillows 
should have a covering of cantoon, fustian, or swans- 
down. Pillows of other sizes are filled in propor- 
tion. Wool pillows are not recommended. 

For a bolster, cut 1 yd. of tick, and allow 1^ in. 
on the size required. The crowns should be cut 
10 in. by 6 in. ; these will finish 9 in. by 5 in. Should 
welting be required, a piece of tick should be cut its 
own width and folded from corner to corner. Cut 
on the cross about 1 in. wide. This method of cut- 
ting for welting applies also to cross borders for 
springs, only that they are cut wider — 4^ in. instead 
of 1 in. The average weight for a feather bolster is 
l| lb. to 1 ft. ; but, as already stated, everything 
will depend upon the filling properties of the 
materials used. 

A wedge bolster is one with a slanting crown, 
made up in the shape of a. wedge, and top-stitched 
all round. The following directions will enable any- 
one to cut a wedge bolster without much difficulty. 
Cut one piece of tick 18 in. long, another 17 in., and 
another 9 in., the smaller piece being used for the 
back border. Cut the two other pieces the width 



Mattress Making and Repairing. 105 

required, which will, of course, be the width of the 
mattress to be fitted. For the two crowns, cut a 
piece of tick 18 in. by 9 in., fold, and cut from corner 
to corner on the slant. The crowns are put into the 
bolster in the same manner as a round bolster, ex- 
cept that they are not pleated. The ties in a wedge 
bolster should correspond with those in the mat- 
tress. 

When cutting chair-bedstead cushions allow 
1^ in. all round. Two of the cushions are made 
square ; the other requires a rounded head. The 
pads should be made 10 in. or 12 in. long by 2\ in. 
wide. In most bordered bedding it is usual to cut 
the borders 4^ in. deep. 

The box-spring mattress, or upholstered spring 
mattress, consists of a wooden frame the size of the 
bedstead, with six laths at the bottom ; some have 
web bottoms. Six 10-in. spiral springs are fastened 
to each lath by means of wire staples. — these direc- 
tions are for a* full-size spring — and after being 
firmly lashed are fastened to the sides and held down 
by staples. A piece of hessian is next tacked over 
the top, and an 8-in. roll made ,all round the side, 
ending at the top. The rolls should be filled w T ith 
alva, wood w r ool, or fibre, and great care should be 
taken to keep it firm and level when quilting. The 
stitching of the roll is absolutely necessary to ensure 
a firm side. In cutting the top, 2 in. is allowed in 
the length, and \\ in. in the width. This is gener- 
ally bound all round the top. Some upholsterers 
prefer the ordinary pull-over top, which has no 
binding, but is simply a plain piece of ticking suf- 
ficient to cover the tops of the springs. After the 
rolls have been made firm and straight, place the 
stuffing all over the tops of the springs, pull over 
the top, pull it down tightly, tack in position, and 
tie down. Next cut four pieces of w T ebbing, No 10 
English preferably, about 15 in. long, fold in half, 
and tack at about 18 in. from each end of the sides. 



io6 



Upholstery. 



These are for the handles used to carry the spring. 
Having finished this, tack a piece of he s si an or 
white flax over the whole of the bottom. 

The best make of box-spring mattress is that 
known as the " German, 7 ' or spring edge, which has 
cane sewn all round the edges on top of the springs, 
and has a fine hair roll. Care should be taken not 
to make the centre of box springs too round or too 
high, as is often done ; a perfectly flat top is a great 
deal better and far more satisfactory. Where a wire- 
woven spring is used on a bedstead, palliasses are 
not needed. To prevent the wire from wearing 
through the mattress cover, it is necessary that a 
platform or mattress cover should be placed be- 




Fig\ 115. — Box-spring Mattress Frame. 



tween the spring and the mattress. A platform is 
a piece of felt, pocketing, or tarpaulin, cut to the re- 
quired size and bound round with bed lace, with six 
or eight tapes sewn on for tying to the spring. In 
making bedding it is well to remember that an over- 
filled acticle is quite as bad as one under-filled, if 
not worse. 

A box-spring mattress webbed top and bottom, 
and not made with bottom laths, may have a shallow 
wood frame with spiral- wire springs between the 
webbing, the top being upholstered with a picking 
of hair, fibre, or flock. First make a wood frame of 
sound pine or red deal 1 in. thick by 6 in. wide ; 
plain lap joints with glued angle blocks may be used, 
but dovetails are preferable. See that the frame is 



Mattress Making and Repairing. 



107 



free from twist ; and fur large sizes, on the bottom 
side of the frame fix a couple of stretchers to brace 
the sides, as shown in Fig. 115. Cross-web the bot- 
tom with best white chair-webbing, allowing 3 in. 
between the webs, which should be tacked down 
double thickness at each end with |-in. blued cut 
tacks. Next get some f s o furniture springs — that is, 
springs 8 in. long by No. 10 s.w.G. ; allow, say, 
twelve of these to the square yard. The springs are 
placed on the webs on the inside of the frame, and 
are stitched fast by the bottom coil with a curved 
needle and twine (see Fig. 116). 



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Fig-. 116. — Mattress Webs and Springs. 



The top side is cross-webbed in the same 
manner, the webs being pulled tight, as the springs 
require compressing. Then the top coils of the 
springs must be stitched fast, each spring standing 
vertical before being secured. Another method of 
fixing the springs is to screw on the bottom side of 
the frame a number of battens, 12 in. centre to 
centre across the width of the proposed mattress. 
On these fix 8-in. or 9-iu. springs. These are 
fastened together at the top with ordinary chair and 
sofa webbing, which is placed across the spring each 
way, sewn to each spring, and nailed down at each 



io8 



Upholstery. 



end to the top of the frame. On this is placed the 
canvas, on which the hair stuffing is fixed in the 
usual way, and covered with the ticking. 

Returning to the original method, to do the stuff- 
ing, first cover the top with hessian, tacking this fast 
on the top edges of the frame. Next cut off two 
pieces of hessian of the length of the frame and two 
of the width, each piece being 6 in. wide. These are. 
sewn fast to the top cover, 4 in. from the edge, which 
alows 2 in. for overlap all round (see Fig. 117). Take 
up the free edge at one end and tack it fast to the 
outside edge of the wood frame, thus forming a hol- 
low space, which must be stuffed firm with fibre or 





Fig-. 



117. — Seamin< 
Ecke. 



Mattress Figr. 118. 



-Mattress Roll 
Edge. 



flock to form a thick roll. The stuffing is worked in 
with a stick, and another length tacked and stuffed, 
and so on all round the mattress (see Fig. 118). 
Now, on the whole surface, with the exception of the 
rolls, pick a layer, 3 in. thick, of stuffing, which can 
be hair, flock, or other suitable fibre. Cover this 
with hessian, and tack it fast all round just under 
tne edges of the roll. A slip-on cover is next made 
of Leeds stripe sateen ticking ; it consists of five 
separate pieces, namely, top and four borders. The 
latter can be made from Belgian ticking, or other 
fancy striped material, being machined to the top 
with the seam outside, and strapped with mattress 
ribbons. The cover is slipped over the mattress, 
and the borders are tacked fast underneath the 



Mattress Making and Repairing. 109 

frame. The tufting does not require as much set as 
a wool mattress, the twine ends being passed 
through the squab and down through the webs and 
tied off. When all the tufts are set up, the bottom 
of the mattress is covered with grey duck cloth to 
keep out the dust ; then clean off with a brush, and 
the mattress is finished. 

A spring-framed mattress finds favour with some 
people, and consists of two rectangular wood frames, 
which can be made in two separate portions for con- 
venience in handling. Between these frames wire 




Fiy. 111).— Spring-Framed Mattress Top. 



mattress springs are interposed, arrangement being 
made for the parallel movement of the frames, and 
the whole surface being covered with ticking. These 
mattresses are used with an overlay mattress on the 
top. First measure the width and length of the 
bedstead, and make two frames of clean, sound pine 
laths, § in. thick by 3 in. wide when finished ; in 
ordering, allow | in. each way for planing. The 
spaces between the stretcher laths for a bedstead 
4 ft. 6 in. wide should be 1 ft. 2 in., the spaces be- 
tween the cross laths being 4 in. The laths should 
be secured by screws in preference to nails (see 
Fig. 119). 



no Upholstery. 

Obtain some turned conical blocks (Fig. 120), 4 in. 
long and 4 in. in diameter at the base, tapering to 
2 in. at the top. The number required will corre- 
spond with the number of cross laths in the two 
frames. Each block is secured by two lj-in. screws, 
the positions of the blocks being shown in Fig. 121. 
Next get some 8-in. chair or mattress springs of 
hard-drawn wire and a packet of f -in. spring staples. 
Place one of the frames across a large table top or 
on a level floor, and put the springs in position to 
stand quite square. 

Each spring is fastened to the frame by four 
staples, well driven over each bottom coil. In fit- 
ting the springs, take care that the guide block does 
not bind against the coils, as this would greatly 
interfere with their proper working. The other 
frame is then put on, and the whole turned over, the 




Fiy. 120.— Guide Block. 

opposite ends of the springs being fastened in the 
manner just described. The springs should all ride 
without chafing, and the frames work parallel. The 
whole surface and borders can be then covered with 
Leeds stripe ticking, made like a wool-mattress case, 
and slipped over, the frame or tacked at the sides, 
these being hidden by narrow mattress ribbon 
secured with gimp pins. Some people prefer the 
sides and ends left open, so that they may be swept 
out better. 

Of palliasses (for definition, see p. 95) not much 
can be said. They are, like the box-spring mattress, 
going out of the market. ■ Usually, they are in two 
equal parts, and are made up in a Forfar case (some- 
times flax is used), with a tick border, and are bound 
all round. They are filled with straw and shavings, 



Mattress Making and Repairing. hi 

have ties in them, and are stitched all round. A 
frame or box is not necessary if only a few pal- 
liasses are to be made. Cut the top and bottom of 
hessian canvas, according to size required, and 
sufficient- ticking for the border, 4 in. wide. Sew 
the border strongly to the top and bottom with 
good doubled, waxed, linen thread, using a bind- 
ing at the seam. A portion must, of course, be 
left open for insertion of the stuffing, for which 
wheat straw is the best material, although almost 
anything will do. The straw should be well twisted 
and broken (although this is not always done), and 
well stuffed into the cases. When full, the open- 
ing left for filling is to be sewn up, after which 
it must be compressed, or flattened, by well 
beating it with a heavy stick. 

rw^ii W i r^-i ""' Fr ~ bMAM rasa iu *^ 

Fiy. 121. — Spring Mattress Guide Blocks in Position. 

When the edges are firm and square, the palli- 
asse should be sewn through with twine at about 
9 in. intervals, to keep the stuffing in place, and 
a row of blind stitches run round the top and 
bottom edges. The palliasse is now complete. 

When a frame or box is made, the procedure 
of making a palliasse is as follows : — Cut the tick 
the proper size for front, back, and sides, allowing 
just a little for turning in ; sew it strongly, but it 
does not matter how roughly. Put it in the frame 
(described on p. 112), which it should exactly fit, 
fastening the top to the top of frame with a few 
tacks. Fill with straw, ramming it tightly down. 
Take a proper needle, filled with twine, push 
through the palliasse, turn it at the back, and, just 



112 



Upholstery. 



before the twine draws tight, slip under it a 
leather tuft; draw a slipping noose at the front, 
using another tuft, and tie securely. The eight 
are done in the same way. When finished, remove 
the front, and take out the palliasse, closing the 
top. The fancy braid is then sewn all round the 
seams with a machine. 

A frame or box for making a palliasse is a nar- 
row oblong box, open at the top, and having a 
movable front. The back and front should be made 
first, large enough to take a full-sized palliasse, 



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Fifif. 122. — Palliasse Frame with Front Removed. 



which would be 3 ft. 1| in. by 4 ft. 6 in. inside 
measurement ; the front and back of the frame, 
therefore, must be 3 ft. 1^ in. high and 4 ft. 10 in. 
wide (the extra 4 in. being to allow for lapping 
over the ends, which ends are made of 2 in. 
boards). The wood used should be at least l£ in. 
thick, so that it may be a little more than 1 in. 
when planed up. Perhaps it would be better to 
use four 11 in. boards, and cut them to the proper 
size after marking out where the tuft holes are 
to come, so as not to get them in the joints. 
Shoot the edges true, and glue up, using cramps ; 



Mattress Making and Repairing. 113 

or they can be tongued together. When dry, cut 
them to sizes named. Now plan where the tuft 
holes are to come, and cut out. These must be an 
even distance from each other and from the 
bottom and top, and exactly opposite in front and 
back. They are to allow of the palliasse being 
sewn through when in the frame, and ought to be 
made large enough for the knots to be fastened 
over the tufts. The back is now ready to fasten 
to the sides and bottom. The sides are 4^ in. 
wide, 3 ft. \\ in. long, and cut out of 2\ in. stuff, so 
as to be 2 in. when planed up. Screw the back 



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Fig. 123.— Front of Palliasse Frame. 



to these, and then screw on the bottom board, 
which is 1^ in. thick. The frame is now finished, 
except that the front must have some means of 
being readily put on and taken off, to allow the 
palliasse to be removed, and yet it must be strong 
and firmly held. This can be done by using six 
bed-screws, such as are used in the old-fashioned 
wooden bedsteads, three on each side. Embed the 
nut in the sides at the back, and use screws long 
enough to go through. Fig. 122 is a view of a 
palliasse frame with front removed, the front being 
shown separately by Fig. 123, in which a indicates 
the tuft holes, and b the bed screws by which the 
front is fastened on. 



ii4 Upholstery. 

The cleansing and purification of bedding, etc., 
may be touched upon in conclusion. 

Lump camphor is very useful as a vermin pre- 
ventive, but when bedding is already infected, 
the only effectual remedy is fumigation ; this is 
best done in a spare room or chamber, closing 
by pasted pieces of paper every opening and crevice 
that is capable of admitting air. An old iron 
pan placed in the room should contain a few live 
coals; over them put 4 oz. of crushed rock brim- 
stone, and close the door and stuff up the keyhole. 
In twelve hours all the insects will be dead, but 
eggs sometimes remain, and the process may need 
repetition, or the mattress may be emptied and 
the contents purified. 

To purify mattress fillings, cut the twine which 
holds down the tufts, slit one of the seams at the 
end, and place the flocks in a large tub or cistern 
containing 10 gal. of cold water, 2 lb. of powdered 
alum, and 2 lb. of cream of tartar. Stir the solu- 
tion well and place in it the flocks, which shrink 
to half their bulk on becoming wet; after two 
days remove them, wash in two changes of clean 
cold water, and dry by spreading on cord netting 
stretched on a frame. A coil of steam pipes placed 
under the netting will hasten matters. See that 
the flock is thoroughly dry before use, and it will 
be necessary to put the flock once or twice through 
the dressing machine after this treatment. 

Raw feathers are cleaned and purified by the use 
of lime water ; mix 1 lb. of quicklime to each 
gallon of water used, allow this to settle, and pour 
off the clean portion ; steep the feathers in this 
solution for three or four days, wash in clean water 
and dry on the net. 

To remove moths from a mattress, unpick the 
seams of the tick, and send the hair to be wil- 
lowed ; or unpick the matted balls by hand, wash 
the tick, and dry it in the open air. 



H5 



CHAPTER X. 

RENOVATING AND REPAIRING UPHOLSTERED 
FURNITURE. 

A large share of the work done in small uphol- 
sterers' shops is re-covering and renovating. Re- 
upholstering is practically springing and stuffing 
again, the instructions for new work applying in 
many cases to repairs as well. 

To re-cover a sofa, first take off the back. For 
this, strip off the old linen that covers the back and 
under the arms ; this is sometimes tacked, but is 
more often secured by thin glue. The nail heads 
that secure the back to the carcase can then be seen 
along the bottom and up the ends. To remove 
them, with a heavy hammer drive a chisel between 
the back and side rail in the centre of the back, 
then drive in another chisel about 1 ft. nearer the 
end, and so on until the nails are started. With 
careful levering along the length, the back should 
come off whole, but too much pressure at the top 
ends will break the stuffing scrolls. 

If the back has a loose top moulding, probably 
it is secured by pieces of webbmg tacked fast ; cut 
these with a knife or chisel, when the back mould 
will lift out, it being kept in position on the edge 
by three or four dowels. Next strip the gimp along 
the edges of the carcase. Backs with loose mould- 
ing are not gimped, the cover being concealed by 
the moulding. Loosen one end of the gimp and give 
a smart pull outwards ; this will generally strip the 
whole length. Place a screwdriver under the tack 
heads that secure the covers and knock them out. 
Cut the button strings and remove the buttons. 

When the tacks have been knocked out the old 



ii 6 Upholstery. 

covers should lift off. The sheets of grey wadding 
on the stuffing under the seat cover should be de- 
stroyed, as they are generally full of dust, and 
wadding is cheap. See that the springs are upright, 
and if necessary replace them by new ones put in 
from underneath. The new springs must be tied 
to the spring rail at the bottom, and stitched fast 
through the stuffing at the top with a long needle. 
After the covers have been removed, brush out 
all dust from the rebates with a stiff brush and 
measure the width and length of the stuffed portion 
for the new covers, allowing for tacking on. 

Begin re-covering the seat first. Tack the cover 
in the centre of the seat ; get the pattern straight 
across and secure it at the back, working from the 
centre to the ends. Cover the arms next, and in 
tacking the stuff up the edges of the scrolls begin 
creasing and lapping over about 6 in. from the top ; 
this is important for neatness. Use the hands freely 
in bringing the stuff over to the back, so as to get 
it as even and tight as possible before securing it 
at the back. For the inside of the arms use buttons 
to match the cover. 

The polishing and varnishing can now be done, 
and afterwards the gimping or banding and stud- 
ding. Cover the sofa back and underneath the arms 
with new linen secured to the framing with thin 
glue and cut to the curved outlines with a sharp 
knife. 

A cheap and easy method of re-covering caned 
rocking-chair backs is as follows : — After pulling off 
all the old cane, cut with a chisel a rebate \ in. 
deep all round the inside edge, as shown at a, Fig. 
124. Into this is fitted a strong piece of carpet cut 
to a pattern made from cardboard. The carpet is 
then tacked on to the chair and, to hide the tacks, 
coloured gimp is fixed round the edge with brass 
nails. The back can be covered with black sateen, 
gimp being used to hide the holes for the cane. 



Renovating and Repairing. 



ii7 



When the webbing of spring-bottomed chairs has 
given way, and it is thought desirable to effect a 
repair by some other method than webbing, first 
turn the chair upside down, and remove the sack- 
cloth underneath it by carefully removing the tacks ; 
put this by, as it will serve for a pattern for the 
new piece of sacking required when the job is 
finished. Remove the old broken webbing, care- 
fully extracting all tacks ; now turn the chair over, 
and shake out as much as possible of the dust that 
has collected ; then turn the chair bottom upwards 




Fig. 124. — Re-cover- y/Qjz 
in? Chair Back. 

Fig. 125. — Repairing- Spring-bottomed Chair. 

again, and measure the size of the battens required 
to take the place of the webbing (see Fig. 125). 
The battens should be made of about f-in. wood by 
about 2\ in. wide, and their ends are bevelled off ; 
these battens are nailed to the bottom of the chair 
so as to be under the centre of the springs. The 
springs are pushed under the battens, and held in 
position by wire passed through a hole bored in 
the batten, and twisted round the spring. Take the 
old piece of sack-cloth, or hessian, and cut a new 
piece, leaving a margin for turning in ; tack this on 
to the bottom of the chair, and the job is finished. 



n8 



Upholstery. 



Fig. 125 shows bottom of the chair when finished 
before putting on hessian. 

The continual failure and giving way of web- 
bing can also be avoided by " parcelling " the upper 
and lower ring of each spring with strips of canvas, 
which prevents the injury by rust. By seizing the 
springs together at the top and bottom, the weight 
is distributed over the whole set, and the comfort 
of the seat is increased. It has been suggested that 
the springs and webbing would be better uncovered, 
and without the usual piece of sacking, as this col- 
lects dust, which is only stirred up when the chair 
is beaten ; whereas when open underneath, the dust 




Fig-. 126. — Re-seating- Chair with Cord. 

is beaten out altogether, and not merely into the 
former collection on the sacking. 

In re-seating some chairs with cord bottoms, 
begin by putting two strong cords across as tightly 
as possible from each corner. Now lash the cord 
over the rails and strings herringbone fashion, doing 
two sides at once, each string being lapped over 
alternately, as in Fig. 126. Before beginning opera- 
tions, the cord should be soaked in water ; it will 
then contract on drying, and make a tight job. The 
seat can be stained and varnished if desired. 

The following method is preferable, however. 
Carefully remove the four thin battens which are 



Renovating and Repairing. 



119 



nailed on the edges of the seat, and pull off the old 
rush, dust, etc. The sides of the seat frame are 
slightly sunk below the corners, so that the work 
will be flush with the latter when finished. No 
diagonal cords are required, and the corners will 
be polished and not disfigured as they are in Fig. 
12G. The work is quite simple, and proceeds from 
one corner regularly round to others in succession, 
terminating in the centre, so that all four sides are 
worked together, as explained in Fig. 127, a, b, c, d 
being the sides of the seat frame. Have a good 




Fig. 127. — Ke-seating Chair with Cord. 

coil of cord on a stick, and make the end fast to the 
leg e (right-hand back corner), pass the coil up and 
out over A, then up and out over b, over c and up 
and out over a, then over d and up and out over c, 
etc. This will be quite clear from the cord shown 
loose in Fig. 127. When pulled up snug and tight 
and as the work proceeds it will have the appear- 
ance at each corner of that at the corner f. 

Any joining of the cord or rushes must, of course, 
be done after a back turn, so that it will come under- 
neath. Stuffing can be pushed in between the upper 
and lower layers of cord as the work proceeds, and 
the end first hitched to the leg can be knotted and 



1 2 O UP HOLS TER V. 

cut off. A chair seat made this way in manilla looks 
very well, but takes a large quantity of material. 

The process of re-covering furniture without re- 
moving the existing leather covering is largely 
practised in cheap shops. Say that it is desired to 
put a velvet cover over leather upholstery. Strip 
off the narrow feather banding all round the re- 
bates, cut off the buttons holding the tuits, and 
place the velvet direct on the leather, tacking fast 
close up to the show framing. Any hollow places 
can be raised up with a little well-picked stuffing, 
or, to give the squabs a fuller appearance, lay on 
sheet wadding, before the velvet is put on, but on 
no account let the wadding come over the edges. 
Finish the edges with a suitable coloured scroll 
gimp to match the covering, securing this with gimp 
pins or velvet-covered studs. Line the chair backs 
with sateen or Roman satin to match. 

For renovating leather seats that have a bare, 
chalky appearance, make a dressing by dissolving 
2 oz. of shellac and 1 oz. of powdered borax in 1 pt. 
of hot water. To do this properly a water bath will 
be necessary. Whilst hot, add \ oz. of good aniline 
dye of the colour required and | oz. of glycerine 
and mix well together. Apply with a swab of cloth 
or a sponge. Previous to this the leather should be 
cleaned with washing soda and warm water, or 
ammonia and water. If the surface requires more 
gloss, make a glaze of equal parts of white of egg 
and good gum, and apply after the dressing, is 
thoroughly dry. 

American-covered leather can be cleaned easily 
by washing with soap and water and re-glazing 
with a leather reviver. Furniture covered in roan- 
skins and real moroccos can be cleaned by rubbing 
the surface briskly with benzine ; when dry, rub 
with sweet oil until a soft and glossy appearance 
is produced. 

For renovating leather-covered furniture that 



Renovating and Repairing. 121 

has got out of shape and dull-looking, cut the strings 
that hold the buttons from underneath the seats ; 
these strings can be drawn out on the top. The 
stuffing will now be loose and the bulged edges can 
be knocked up square. Get the seat surface as even 
as possible ; then re-button with covered buttons, 
beginning near the edges. Tie these up as tight as 
possible so as to make deep tufts. Now sponge on 
two thin, even coats of bleached shellac varnish. 

By another method of treating the bare parts of 
moroccos and roans first cover them with good 
starch paste, and clean the leather with equal parts 
of ammonia and milk ; this will also act as a mor- 
dant. Boil 1 oz. of cochineal in a pint of water, add- 
ing a little alum, and apply with a sponge ; this will 
give a dark maroon colour. Black can be made 
with a strong solution of red acetate of iron, or a 
good shoe-maker's ink will answer the same pur- 
pose. A strong decoction of saffron over the original 
colour of the chairs will produce a warm brown. 
For green, wash with a solution of green vitriol, 
followed by a strong decoction of barberry root. 
After dyeing, the leather should be coated with the 
borax-shellac dressing already noted. 

Leather chair-seat covers sometimes become 
sticky ; if they are morocco or roan skins, the sticki- 
ness is probably due to condensation, dust, etc., 
and can generally be removed by washing the 
leather with warm water and washing soda. Allow 
to dry, then lightly sponge the surface with well- 
beaten white of eggs, afterwards polishing off with 
a soft chamois leather. American leather cloth will 
require different treatment, as stickiness in this 
material is generally due to some of the con- 
stituents of the enamel perishing. Wash the surface 
free from dust and grease with warm water and 
washing soda ; when thoroughly dry, sponge over 
witn the following dressing very evenly and thinly 
applied: gum sandarach 4 oz., gum mastic 1 oz., 



122 Upholstery. 

dissolved in 1 pt. of methylated spirit ; well strain 
before using. It would be an advantage to stain 
the above to the shade required with aniline dye. 

The dyeing of faded leathers is a special process, 
but grease spots in woollen and mixed covers can 
be removed by wetting with the following prepara- 
tion and rubbing with a sponge or rag : Shake to- 
gether in a bottle \ pt. benzine, \ pt. water, 4 oz. 
of ammonia, and 4 oz. of a saturated solution of 
sal-soda. After this has stood for a few hours it 
will be ready for use. Keep tightly corked or the 
contents will evaporate, and shake well before 
using. 

Hair-seating can be cleaned with soap and 
warm water in which a piece of washing soda has 
been dissolved, and to which a few drops of liquid 
ammonia have been added ; sometimes it is cleaned 
by wiping over with paraffin oil ; if any obstinate 
stains remain, rub with black ink. The addition of 
a litle gum to the ink is an improvement. The 
smell of paraffin will disappear if the articles are 
left in the open air for a short time. 

The method adopted in the cleaning mills for 
freeing old horsehair (not coverings) from dirt, 
moth, etc., is to place the hair in a large wire cage, 
and put this into a steam jacketed boiler. Water is 
then pumped into the boiler, the boiling lasting 
about half an hour. The cage is then removed to a 
hydro-extractor, also known as a "whizz," the hair 
being dried by high speed centrifugal action. The 
hair is passed once or twice through the teasing 
machine and is then ready for use. Doubtless a 
modification of the above process will meet ordin- 
ary requirements. New horsehair in the natural 
state goes through exactly the same process before 
being placed on the market for stuffing purposes, 
but it has to be dried afterwards in an oven to make 
it curl up, which is desirable. It may be said that 
old stuffing which has been curled should not be 



Renovating and Repairing. 123 

boiled, unless there are appliances at hand for re- 
curling it. Instead, the amateur's better plan will 
be to beat out the dust thoroughly with a cane, 
shake the hair in a sieve or riddle, to remove short 
fragments, foreign matters etc. ; sprinkle it from 
a watering-can with dilute Condy's Fluid (this, if 
done with care, will not destroy the curl) ; and then 
to dry it in an oven as hot as is possible without 
singeing the hair ; such a heating will destroy any 
germs of disease or insect life which may have 
escaped the disinfectant. 

To raise the pile of velvets, plushes, etc., re- 
move the material, and fill a clean tin can holding 
2 gal. or 3 gal. with boiling water ; cork it tightly 
and place it on its side. Pass the material slowly 
over this backwards and forwards, and then brush 
up the nap with a soft clothes-brush. Another 
method is to cover the face of a hot flat-iron with 
several folds of wet cotton cloth. Fasten the iron 
by the handle to a vice or other suitable conveni- 
ence, and as the steam rises from the iron pass the 
plush smartly backwards and forwards over the 
face of the wet cloth. The wrong side of the 
material must be towards the iron. The nap or pile 
is then raised by brushing with a soft bristle brush. 

To clean heavy woollen velvet covers, well beat 
them to get rid of the dust, and then wipe over with 
cold water and ox-gall — one ox-gall to a pail of 
water. 

For silk pile plushes, benzine is the best cleaner 
when sponged lightly on with a swab of soft cloth, 
replacing this when dirty with a clean one. For 
woollen plushes, also known as moquettes, use 
equal parts of liquor ammonia and methylated 
spirit in the same manner as before. New gimping 
makes a considerable improvement in appearance 
when renovating suite covers. 



124 



CHAPTER XL 

CARPET PLANNING AND LAYING. 

Assuming that the carpet has been selected, the 
room has to be measured and the quantity that 
will be required estimated. 

Obtain a plan-book of stout paper about 1 ft. 
6 in. long by 1 ft. wide ; also a 2-ft. rule, a 66-ft. 
tape measure, and a chalk line, one of the self- 
chalking variety being the most convenient. 

Remove as much of the furniture as possible 





/ 




? 






x 


/ 




S 


• % 


s 




s 


N 


s 




" s * 




' *s 




s " „ 




\ 


y 


"x, 






j ' 


""N 



























Fig. 128. — Carpet-planner's Room Plan. 



before taking measurements. First take the square 
plan of the room without taking into account any 
recesses, windows, etc., and mark down in the 
plan-book a rectangle, as in Fig. 128, carefully 
checking each measurement to prevent mistakes. 
Next take tape measurements from corner to 
corner ; if these are not equal, the room is not 
square at all the corners. This should, of course, 
be shown as the result of the first measurements ; 
if not, then they are wrong, and should be cor- 
rected. Then fill in the details in the plan-book. 



Carpet Planning and Laying. 125 

For the fireplace have the curb placed in 
position, unless the hearth is tiled, when measure- 
ments should be made close up to the tiled border. 
Fig. 129 shows the method for a bay window. 
Spring a chalk line across the opening indicated 
by the dotted line A B, then plan the line c d, and 
strike off e f, when the angle can be drawn in. 
The length of ab can be checked by adding up the 
distances between the offsets. 

In planning for circular windows, recesses, etc., 
it is necessary to take offsets at every foot (see Fig. 
130), unless the curve is very quick, when measure 
at each 6 in. The length and position of each 
offset should be clearly marked in the plan-book, 



Fig. 129.— Plan of Bay Window. Fig. 130.— Plan of 
Circular Window, Recess, etc. Fig. 131. — Mitring 
Carpet Border. 

and the segment then drawn. Other irregular 
shapes are planned in a similar manner. 

The lighting of the room should also be noted, 
because if a well defined floral pattern is selected, 
the flowers on the carpet should face the light. 

It is necessary to know the length of the pat 
tern, which, of course, has to be matched. This 
frequently entails waste ; if so, the pieces may be 
used to fill in recesses or to cover footstools. It 
is also necessary to know if the pattern is a "set " 
or "drop." The former has the complementary 
part of the patern quite opposite on the other side 
of the same breadth ; but the finish to the latter's 



12 6 UP HOLS TER Y. 

figures occurs half the pattern length clown the 
opposite side. Consequently, to match a " set " 
pattern it must be cut through a similar figure to 
that at the starting point, whereas a " drop " pat- 
tern must be cut half-way between similar figures 
to that with which it begins. To the novice 
this is difficult to grasp, but must be considered 
and allowed for in planning in order to avoid 
waste. 

As a simple example, a room 15 ft. long and 
" set " pattern of 3 ft. length will not entail waste, 
as it matches exactly when cut at any multiple of 
3 ft. The "drop " patern would waste 1 ft. 6 in., 
as after the first piece is cut the required length 
it would be necessary to cut that quantity off to 
match with the starting point. 

In a room where several breadths of carpet are 
required this wasting is an expensive matter. In 
" drop " patterns waste may sometimes be avoided 
by observing the following rule : Cut the odd 
number breadths first, at the corresponding figure 
to the one the piece commences with, then cut the 
even number breadths. It will then be seen that 
the only waste occasioned is on the first even num- 
ber breadth. 

As an illustration, take the foregoing example 
with a 3-ft. " drop " pattern and, say, six breadths 
of carpet. If each breadth is cut in succession, 
five pieces, each 1 ft. 6 in. long, will be wasted ; 
but by cutting Nos. 1, 3, and 5, and then cutting 
off 1 ft, 6 in. from the piece that is left, there 
will not be any more waste. 

All piece carpets for covering rooms are made 
2 ft. 3 in. wide, except that known as Kiddermin- 
ster, which is 3 ft. wide. 

When roll carpeting, 27 in. wide, is used, it is 
laid oh a clean floor and the pattern properly 
matched before cutting off. An allowance of 1 in. 
is made for each seam, and the ends must also be 



Carpet Planning axd Lay inc. 127 

cut square with the sides ; the joints are then 
seamed and felled with carpet twist, either by 
thimble-work or by machine. The borders are then 
seamed to the centre, each corner being cut to a 
mitre and the pattern matched. There are special 
needles and thread for sewing carpets. 

It is necessary to sew the selvedges together 
quite close, stitching through and back, not over 
the edge. Push the wool down between the selv- 
edges with the needle as the sewing proceeds ; no 
wool must be taken up in the seaming. The stitches 
should be about | in. apart. Take great care to 
keep the pattern matched when sewing. The ends 
of the carpet must be overstitched to frevent fray- 
ing. A stronger way is to sew a strip of carpet 
webbing along the back edge and then stitch the 
edge as buttonholes are done, these stitches to be 
about I in. apart. 

The whole are of fitting and laying carpets may 
be described as follows. In fitting carpets the 
block plan of the carpet should first be laid in 
chalk lines on the floor, details of fireplaces, re- 
cesses, windows, etc., being filled in afterwards. 
Add all the measurements and check them, as there 
is no chance of rectifying mistakes without wast- 
ing material after the cutting is begun. First 
cut the borders, the centre "carpet being filled in 
afterwards. The borders are mitred at each 
corner, the method of marking the mitres being 
explained in Fig. 131 ; the centre line will be the 
join, and the dotted lines are the cutting lines, 
the overlay being required for seaming. Hold 
down the strips, as cut, with a few drugget pins. 
Carpet borders are usually 1 ft. and 1 ft. 6 in. 
wide, and the cutting is done with a pair of stout 
14 in. shears, a light wood T square and a pointed 
piece of chalk being required for marking off 
square. The carpet is now laid in the centre, and 
particular care must be taken to match the pat- 



128 Upholstery. 

tern accurately. If the carpet has a decided floral 
pattern, have the heads facing the light, or at 
least in the opposite direction to the doorway. 
In cutting off allow 1 in. each way for seaming, 
unless the carpet has a plain woven selvedge, 
when 1 in. should be allowed at each end only. 




Fig. 132.— Carpet Stretcher. 



Mark each length of carpet and borders with 
consecutive numbers, and mark the same on the 
floor so as to facilitate each portion being sewn in 
its proper position ; this work is generally done 
by female labour, the carpet-seaming machines on 
the market being expensive. The carpet is seamed 
by lap joins with strong carpet twist, and the 
edges and seams are bound with grey linen 
webbing. 

If the carpet has to be secured to the floor 
with rings which hook on brass-headed drugget 
pins driven into the floor, the rings are sewn to 
the webbing at intervals of 8 in. all round the 
carpet square. When the seaming, etc., is done, 
the carpet is ready for stretching and pressing. 
To do this a carpet stretcher (Fig. 132) and a heavy 
goose iron is required. Place the carpet face down 



Fig*. 133. — Carpet Selvedges Turned in. 

on the marked cutting floor, and it will be found 
that through puckers and wrinkles the carpet is 
a bad fit to the chalk lines. Therefore stand on 
the carpet, and with the stretcher held in front, 
work one line square and straight to the chalk line, 



Carpet Planning and Laying. 129 

then pin it fast to the floor with drugget pins, and 
stretch in the opposite direction, always commenc- 
ing in the centre and working to the ends. Follow 
out the pinning down until the carpet lies square 
and straight with the chalk lines. 

Should any part be baggy or slack edged, it can 
be shrunk to shape by wringing out a cloth in cold 
water, placing this on the slack part, and ironing 
with the hot goose iron. All the seams should also 
be well pressed, and the carpet left overnight to 
set, when it must be well swept and the pins 
removed. 

Before the carpet is laid, examine the floor for 
projecting nail heads or knots in the wood ; the 



9f 



..§,, 




i.c 



Fig. 134. Fig. 135. 

Figs. 134 and 135. — Carpets Prepared for Sewing. 

former must be punched in, and the latter planed 
off, a round iron being used in the plane to pre- 
vent digging at the corners. Felt underlays and 
surrounds are sewn together and cut to shape 
afterwards, any slack parts that may occur being 
damped out. Seams across the widths of the 
carpet are scratched out with a steel comb, and 
sewn together one on the other, the pattern being 
matched as accurately as possible. They are 
always avoided in first-class work. 

In joining together a number of pieces of carpet, 

the selvedges of the carpet need not be cut off, 

as they can be utilised for the turning in, as at A 

(Fig. 133), where the dark portions show the selv- 

1 



130 Upholster y. 

edges. Turn in also a small portion along the 
sides, and, to prevent the corners overlapping, 
cut off a small piece as at B (Fig. 134). The dotted 
lines c show the turning-in lines ; and at d (Fig. 
135) is shown the bottom side of one piece of 
carpet with the sides and end folded in, the cut- 
off corner forming a mitred joint. Be careful to 
get all- the pieces turned in to exactly the right 
size, or the carpet will not lie level when finished. 

Improved carpet-weaving machinery has re- 
cently done away with a lot of the carpet-planner's 
work, a>s> seamless, bordered carpets all in one 
piece are produced up to 12 ft, by 21 ft. 

The proper way of treating a carpet that has 
been sewn together is to turn it wrong side up and 
fasten one end to the floor with a few carpet pins. 
The carpet stretcher (to be described later) is 
then used in all four directions and the carpet 
pinned all round. The seams and binding are laid 
with a heavy hot goose iron and the carpet left 
some time to set; the pins are then removed and 
the carpet well swept on both sides. If it has to 
be laid with rings, one ring each yard is sufficient. 

For large rooms the carpets are sometimes 
worked into simple geometrical figures by using 
different patterns and colours, 

Carpets made of all wool may be laid quite 
smoothly by pulling with the hands only, but 
those that have jute and other material for the 
back require to be stretched with a special imple- 
ment. 

The usual form of carpet stretcher is illustrated 
by Fig. 132, and this gives good results in the 
hands of a competent man. A device with spikes 
is shown by Fig. 136 ; to make it, procure a piece 
of hard wood, 9 in. by 4^ in. by \\ in. (a and d) ; 
lay out eight rows of holes 1 in. apart, and bore 
with a bradawl nine holes in each row (see Fig. 137). 
Into these holes drive j in. Durran's patent nails. 



Carpet Planning axd Laying. 



3 1 



In one side of this body, between the fourth and 
fifth row of nails, insert a stout screw-eye. The 
lever, c, is 22 in. long (a piece of broom-handle 
will do very well) and it has a ferrule on the end. 
Cut the head off a large wire nail, and drive the 
nail into the ferrule end of the handle, so that 
about 1 in. will project. File this projecting end 
to a point. The other end of the handle is to be 
rounded off nicely. Bore a \ in. hole for a rivet 
through the handle, 2 in. above the ferrule, and fit 
a rivet with two washers, long enough to project 




Figs. 136 and 137.— Carpet Stretcher with Spikes. 

\ in. on each side. Take a piece of strong wire, 
b (say, 12-gauge), 20 in. long, pass it through the 
screw-eye, and double it to form a loop ; then with 
each end of this wire take a turn round the rivet in 
the handle (one end of wire on each side of 
handle). 

In use, the stretcher is placed on the carpet, 
and the carpet layer's foot is placed upon it to 
hold it down ; the spiked end of the lever is placed 
on the floor close to the skirting-board, and the 
handle of the lever is pressed forward till the 
carpet is stretched sufficiently. Then the carpet 



132 Upholstery. 

is tacked down or otherwise secured, and the 
stretcher is moved along about 1 ft. further. Care- 
ful use is claimed not to injure the carpet. 

A simple tool which will answer the purpose of 
a carpet stretcher where no great strain is neces- 
sary can be made from a large bradawl sharpened 
to a round tapering point, just fine enough to 
pierce the carpet easily. Push the point into the 
carpet and use as a lever to draw it smooth. 

In laying stair carpets, the stair-rod eyes are 
the first consideration ; these should be fixed \ in. 
farther apart than the width of the carpet, not 
more, or the carpet will not keep straight but will 
zig-zag. Fix the eyes at equal distances from 
wall-string and balusters so that the carpet is 
exactly in the centre. A great mistake is fre- 
quently made by measuring from the extreme ends 
of the riser. Large stair-eyes must be fixed with 
the holes of each pair perfectly parallel, otherwise 
it is difficult to insert the rods, owing to one stair- 
eye inclining the rod to a slightly different angle 
from that at which its fellow is fixed. The holes 
of the stair-eyes need only be slightly larger than 
the diameter of the stair-rods, but it is necessary 
to have the flange as wide as the depth of pile of 
the carpet ; this will permit of the rods being put 
in or taken out easily. Stair carpets are usually 
made 18 in., 22^ in., 27 in., and 36 in. wide, and 
stair-rods are made in lengths suitable for these 
widths. 

Padding is put under stair carpets to reduce the 
friction and thus help it to wear much longer; it 
usually takes the form of separate pieces or pads 
for each tread. Various kinds are used ; those 
made of wadding afford the softest tread. Others 
are of cork, sponge, or thick felt underlay. All 
these can be procured in suitable sizes for the 
various widths of carpet, and the felt underlay may 
be obtained in the piece and cut to required sizes. 



Carpet Planning and Laying. 133 

Pieces of old carpet, providing they are free from 
seams, can be used as padding. It should be cut 
the width of the stair tread and about 2 in. shorter 
in length than the width of carpet. In placing, 
keep them in the centre and about 2 in. away 
from the riser, so that the extra thickness does not 
interfere with the free movement of the rods, and 
permits the pad to be turned over the nosing, as 
it is there most friction is set up. 

Stair carpets get all the wear on the nosing and 
about 3 in. of the tread, and are soon worn out at 
that part while the remainder is good. This may 
be obviated by having the carpet the length of 
a tread and riser (say 1 ft. 6 in.) longer than is 
actually required, and periodically moving the por- 
tion which receives the wear down to the risers 
below, thus bringing those portions which are not 
trodden upon to take its place. Move only about 
3 in. or 4 in. at a time, and change it before any 
marks of wear appear; the whole length of the 
carpet will thus share the treading instead of just 
these portions nearest the nosing. 

Another important point, especially applicable 
to pile carpets, is that to prolong the life of stair 
carpet it should not be changed ends — that is, 
turned top end to bottom. Owing to the pressure 
being heavier when descending the stairs, the pile 
of the carpet gets pushed or " laid " in the direc- 
tion of the bottom ; if, then, the carpet be turned, 
the direction of the pile has to undergo a reversal, 
considerable friction takes place, with the result 
that deep pile carpets look very rough, and all 
with a nap or pile surface wear out much quicker 
through having the wool chafed away in the 
process. 

Stair carpets whose patterns are of floral design, 
and those with figures appearing to incline in one 
direction, should be laid with the pattern running 
up the stairs. In other cases take the " lay " of 



134 Upholstery. 

the pile as a guide, for the reason already given, 
and also because the colours in deep pile carpets 
appear richer when looked at against the pile. 
The direction of the pile may be easily ascertained 
by passing the hand over the surface. 

Straight stairs present no difficulties ; with the 
aid of a few tacks top and bottom, or slipped under 
a rod, the carpet can easily be kept smoothly in 
place by the rods. But winding stairs are more 
difficult ; in regard to these the aim should be so 
to manipulate the carpet that it presents an un- 
broken appearance for its entire length. This end 
can be attained best by cutting the carpet at each 
riser, but as this neutralises the advantage gained 
by the extra length, it is not advisable except 
where economy can be sacrificed to a first-class 
job. The apex of each triangle made in turning 
the carpet should be at the same radius from the 
baluster. This can be done on spiral staircases 
where the treads are all at the same angle, but is 
sometimes impossible where the flight has straight 
stairs at top or bottom, or both, and the return 
made in a few winders. To fix the stair-eyes for 
the former class of stairs, allow 1| in. wider than 
the breadth of carpet, as it will be found that in 
turning the carpet more space is required between 
the eyes ; this extra width should be on the wall- 
string side. For the latter kind of stairs it is best 
to fix the eyes in the straight stairs first, and at 
the side of the winders nearest to, and at the same 
distance from, the balusters as those in the straight 
stairs. Lay the carpet temporarily in place, and 
the turn made will show where the remainder are 
to be fixed — that is, \ in. clear of extreme edge 
of carpet on the wall-string side. The rods for 
these stairs will vary in length, but must project 
beyond each stair-eye the same distance as those 
in the straight stairs. 

Padding for the winders should be the shape of 



Carpet Planning and Laying. 135 

the stair-treads, the same rule being observed as 
for straight stairs. To lay, place the carpet in 
position on the stairs and put in the rods. Pull 
the edge of the carpet quite tight on the wall side, 
and smooth each tread quite flat ; there will then 
be a ruck at each riser, which must be neatly 
folded under. The outer edge of the doubled part 
must be folded exactly at a line drawn from the 
points at the sides where the edges intersect; all 
the stripes in the borders will then meet. 

In spiral staircases but little carpet has to be 
pleated ; consequently the whole of it can be placed 
against the riser, where it should be put in every 
case where practicable. Flatten the folds as much 
as possible by beating with a hammer, and put 
a few tacks along the doubled edge to keep the 
fold in place. Should it be impossible to place all 
the tumed-in carpet against the riser, owing to the 
angle of the stair making a large ruck, put the 
fold under the carpet on the tread, and pad up 
the hollow space by cutting pieces of the material, 
used as padding, to the shape required. This may 
necessitate wider flanges to the stair-eyes, or block- 
ing out with pieces of wood placed behind them 
to allow the rods to move freely. 

On no account fold the carpet so that the extra 
thicknesses are on the nosing ; put sufficient pad- 
ding where necessary to make the carpet level, as 
any unevenness results in a worn mark. If it is 
decided to cut the carpet, proceed as shown, but 
instead of pleating the ruck, mark lines between 
the intersecting points at the edges of the carpet, 
and cut out the resulting V piece ; the edges thus 
cut may be stitched to prevent fraying and joined 
closely together with tacks, or, better still, the 
two cut edges may be seamed. As a rule, large set 
patterns, and those which have patches of colour, 
are ill adapted for stairs, as rarely do distances 
between similar figures in a pattern and similar 



136 Upholstery. 

points in the stairs coincide ; consequently the eye 
is annoyed by the pattern appearing irregularly. 

Ox-gall soap for cleaning carpets may be made 
in the following manner. Fifty pounds of soap is 
cut up into shavings and put into a pan together 
with 1 gal. of water ; this is gently heated, stirring 
all the while, until a paste is obtained, and to this 
is added, constantly stirring, 2^ lb. of ox-gall and 
2 lb. of mirbane, the last being intended to mask 
the odour of the ox-gall. 

Stains of a rusty colour can be removed from a 
Wilton carpet in the following way. Place a large 
dinner plate or tray underneath the stained por- 
tion. Mix equal parts of cream of tartar and citric 
acid (this can be bought ready mixed under the 
name of salts of lemon), saturate the stained por- 
tion with hot water, and rub on the salts with a 
smooth piece of wood or bone until the stains 
disappear ; then well rinse in clean cold water and 
hang the carpet up to dry. Or, instead of salts 
of lemon, oxalic acid, followed by a very weak 
solution of chloride of lime (bleaching powder), 
may be used ; this is suitable for very light- 
coloured carpets. 

One of the best methods of reviving all-wool 
carpets is to wipe the surface with a large swab 
of soft cloths or with a very soft bristle brush well 
charged with a solution made by dissolving an ox- 
gall in a pail of water. The ox-gall can be pro- 
cured from a butcher's. Before using the solution 
the carpets should be well brushed or beaten. 

To remove paraffin from a carpet place a 
quantity of blotting paper on the soaked part and 
run a warm iron over it; continue this treatment 
until the paraffin is removed. For removing a 
stain left by the evaporation of paraffin, wet well 
with petroleum spirit and treat with the blotting 
paper as above. 



'37 



CHAPTER XII. 

LINOLEUM LAYING. 



The tools required for laying linoleum are few 
and inexpensive. A hook-point knife, as used by 
curriers, an emery-stone or piece of No. 1 emery- 
paper glued on a round stick (to sharpen the knife 
on), a hammer, and a few fine ^-in. brads are all 
that are necessary. 

Have the linoleum about 1 in. larger than the 
room. Place it on the floor with the extra piece 
turned up against the skirting. Drive in a few 
brads to hold the cloth in place, and make slits at 
all projections. Now bend the surplus inch until 
it is at a right angle close to the skirting. 

Sharpen the knife (the round stick is to preserve 
its shape), and begin to cut at any extremity. 
Insert the knife in the cloth with the blade close 
to the skirting and parallel to it, the point touch- 
ing the floor, then drag it towards the body. Cut 
all around in this way, and the result will be a 
close fit, however much the skirting winds. The 
hook-point is useful here, as it will not slip out of 
the cut so readily as a straight point. 

If at first the cloth is not sufficiently cut away 
to allow the edge to rest on the floor, but is 
slightly turned up against the skirting, do not 
force it down, or the piece will blister. Take off 
a little more in the same way until it fibs. 

Linoleum is usually sold 6 ft. wide, consequently 
two or more breadths are required to cover a room, 
and in the jointing of these care must be exercised 
to make it so close that water cannot percolate 
through. The effect of damp on the back of the 
cloth is to shrink it and eventually to rot it. 



138 Upholstery. 

Put the second piece against the first and 
match the pattern. If the edges are out of truth, 
overlap one as little as is necessary, and mark the 
other by running the point of the knife along close 
to the edge of the overlapped piece. Cut exactly 
through this mark, keeping the back of the knife 
slightly inclined towards the edge of the cloth. 
This will make a bevelled edge, and the joint will 
fit closer. It is also a good plan to cut the edge 
furthest from the light; this will help to hide 
the joint, as the great aim is to make it invisible. 
The joint is now ready for bradding. Drive 
the brads as close to the edge as possible without 
breaking the cloth, putting them in exactly oppo- 
site each other ; the edges will then dent together. 
Let them be as thick as necessary to keep the 
edges even. 

If the floor is damp, as frequently happens in 
basements, owing to the proximity of the earth, 
it is necessary to use cement to stick the linoleum 
to the floor to prevent shrinkage. Coat the back 
for about 4 in. in from the edge. 

On stone or very damp wood floors a water- 
proof lining is necessary. Tarred paper is sold 
for the purpose, and should be laid in the same 
way as linoleum, except that it is not absolutely 
necessary to cement it on wood. Cement all the 
edges of paper and linoleum when laying on stone, 
and place weights to keep it down until set — a 
process of many hours' duration. Inlaid linoleum 
may be cemented all over the back or made to 
adhere with a stiff flour-paste. This is rendered 
necessary owing to its tendency to blister or shrink 
away from the joints. 

To lay linoleum on a stone floor give the floor 
two coats of hot tar with a little pitch in it, and 
when perfectly dry, lay two thicknesses of brown 
paper and then the linoleum. 

Furniture will make holes or impressions in soft 



Linoleum Laying. 139 

floorcloth or oilcloth, and these should be filled 
up with a mixture of equal parts of boiled oil 
and varnish thickened by adding a quantity of 
powdered whiting, which may be tinted to match 
the floorcloth by the addition of a little dry 
colour. When this is thoroughly dry, two coats 
of hard church oak varnish should be given ; this 
will harden the surface of the cloth. The varnish 
should be allowed to dry for about fourteen days 
before anything heavy is placed on it. If floor- 
cloth is varnished once a year, it will be found to 
be as durable as the finest linoleum. 

For a cheap oak varnish suitable for floorcloth, 
take 22 lb. of common Manila gum, 5 gal. of thick 
boiled or albumenised oil, 3 lb. of powdered lith- 
arge, 3 lb. of burnt copperas, 7 gal. of American 
turpentine, and 1 gal. of terebine. Fuse the gum 
in any suitable vessel until it is all dissolved. In 
another vessel heat the oil to about 280°- F., add 
to the gum, and thoroughly stir, and raise the 
temperature to about 500° F. ; then add the cop- 
peras and litharge, constantly stirring to prevent 
it settling to the bottom. It should be allowed to 
remain for about half an hour, well stirring to 
keep it from adhering to the bottom of the pan. 
Then take it well away from the fire and allow it 
to cocl to about 280° F., when the turps may be 
slowly run in. Then place it in tanks to allow it 
to settle for about three weeks. If a still cheaper 
vamish is required, mix equal jjarts of the follow- 
ing with the oak varnish. Procure pale resin 56 
lb., newly slaked lime 3^ lb., and American turps 
5 gal. Melt the resin at a good heat, add the lime 
slowly, and constantly stir, then allow it to cool 
somewhat and add the turps. 

To make cheap flour paste suitable for laying 
linoleum and oilcloth, mix rye flour with a little 
cold water, then add boiling water, well stirring 
the paste while the water is being poured. Melt 



I40 UP HOLS TER V. 

some glue size and add to the paste while both 
are hot. Stir well. The more size is added the 
greater the strength of the paste. As a rule, 
" inlaid " linoleums require very strong paste. A 
little alum dissolved in the paste is a preservative. 
If the paste is too thin, boil it, to evaporate some 
of the water. 

When laying linoleum, etc., on rough floors, 
wood or stone, put down in the first place a liberal 
layer of ordinary sawdust, taking care that there 
are no chips of wood or any other rubbish among 
it. The sawdust may be spread roughly by means 
of a lath of wood. The linoleum is then put, on 
the top and bradded at the edges in the usual way, 
and after a short time the sawdust will work its 
way into the hollows, and the result will be a per- 
fectly level surface. This method gives a softer 
feeling than if laid direct on the floor. 

In fixing linoleum it makes a better job to 
glue the edges than to use tacks. If good thick 
warm glue is used it will stick sufficiently well 
either on stone or wood, and the linoleum can be 
lifted when wanted without tearing it. 

New linoleum may be treated ,so as to increase 
its wearing properties. Lay the linoleum bottom 
upwards on the floor, and then well stretch it and 
tack it down. Mix together equal parts of red 
oxide paint and red lead with a little patent driers, 
thin down with boiled oil and turps to the required 
consistency, then add a little varnish. Give the 
liuoleum two coats of this paint, allowing the first 
coat to dry thoroughly before applying the second. 
Now turn the linoleum over, pattern side up, and 
tack it down as before, then give two coats of hard 
durable oak varnish. If there are any white or 
delicate colours in the design, use a pale or colour- 
less copal varnish. Linoleum treated thus once 
every year will be found to wear several times as 
long as ordinary linoleum. 



i4i 



CHAPTER XIII. 

FANCY UPHOLSTERY. 



Practical fancy upholstery includes the art of 
cutting and fitting draperies and hangings in 
various textile fabrics for decorating windows, 
mantelboards, portieres, pier glasses, pictures, etc., 
taste and originality being needed for the work. 
One of the simplest examples of draping is the 
mantelboard shown in Fig. 138. The board itself 
is of 1-in. pine chamfered on the front and ends, 
and a strip of wood 1 in. by f in. is bradded 
underneath the front and sides as shown in Fig. 




Fig-. 138. — Draped Mantelboard. 

139. The board is covered with cloth, baize, or 
felt, tacked underneath. The stuff must be laid 
tight and square, and to prevent puckers or wrin- 
kles, get the fibres of the stuff straight across the 
board and begin tacking in the centre, gradually 
working to each end. Should any wrinkles show 
themselves after the cover is tacked on, they can 
be shrunk out by damping with a cloth and ironing 
with a hot goose-iron. 

The board can now be studded on the chamfered 
edges, keeping these about 1^ in. apart. The 
valance a (Fig. 138) is intended to be of plush, and 
the festoons b should be of silk or satin. The 
buckram stiffening is first put on, and should come 
within 2 in. of the drop of the valance. Tack on 



142 



Upholstery. 



the strip under the board. The plush must be 
lined and fringed before fixing ; then again com- 
mence tacking in the centre. 



Fig'. 139.— Section of 
Mantelboard. 




Fig. 140.— Pattern of Festoon. 



Next get the festoons out, and in choosing the 
materials for these, reject all which have the 
slightest trace of stiffening, as it is impossible to 
get a proper shaped festoon with unyielding 
materials. 

A cutting pattern for a festoon is shown at Fig. 
140 ; it is 8 in. wide at the top, 1 ft. at the 
bottom, and the depth is 9 in. By diminishing or 
increasing the dimensions festoons of any size can 
be cut. The pattern is intended for a festoon with 
a drop of 6 in., and must be rounded on the bot- 
tom, the edge being pinked with a pinking tool ; 
a draper usually has a set of these from f in. to 
1^ in. Measure and space equally for the festoons, 
and tack lightly by the top edges, and hang them 
all before commencing to reef, which is done by 




Fig-. 141. — Mantelboard with Shouldered Valancee. 



neatly gathering and pleating the sides, and secur- 
ing with one tack, which is afterwards hidden by 
a stamped rosette or coloured pom-pom. Do not 



Fa nc y Up hols ter v. 



43 



attempt to arrange the folds when reefing the 
festoons ; rather let them " occur " than work them 
into stiff, unconventional lines. The tack heads 
are hidden by gimping or cord, and the mantel- 
board is. finished. 

Fig. 141 shows a mantelboard with a deep 
shouldered valance and festoons. The shoulders 
should have double the amount of drop of the 
centre pallets, and must be cut to the proportions 
shown. The valance lias a pinked edge, and the 




Fig-. 142. — Fireplace Drapery 



festoons are fringed, and further decorated by a 
hanging cord and tassel, which must be fixed 
before the rosettes are put on ; otherwise the cut- 
ting and hanging are the same as were described 
for Fig. 138. If the square ends of the shoulders 
in the valance have a tendency to curl, they can 
be weighted by sewing a lead button at the back 
corner. 

A design for a fireplace drapery, without valance, 
is shown by Fig. 142. The festoons are lined and 
fringed, and sewn to the edge of the mantelboard 



144 



Upholstery. 



covering, the joint being hidden by slip-stitching 
a coloured cord on the edge. The curtains are 
hung on a 1-in. hardwood curtain rod fixed by a 
pair of small hanging brackets screwed in the 
mantelboard. In measuring for curtains, take the 
full drop from rod to floor, and allow for turnings 
at top and bottom. When slung by the bands, the 
curtains will stand clear. 

A fireplace drapery is illustrated in Fig. 143, in 
which the wing c and the swag d are introduced ; 
both are extensively used in all classes of drapery. 




Fig. 143. — Fireplace Drapery. 

A cutting pattern for a wing is shown in Fig. 
144. The amount of drop required is first 
measured, and will be the long straight edge; 
then measure the width, which is usually two- 
thirds of the drop, and the short edge, which is 
one third of the drop. The bevel is then cut from 
the long edge to the short, the bevel edge alone 
requiring fringing. The top is hollowed out as 
shown, to prevent tightness, and the reefing is 
done from both top corners to the hanging 
marked x. 



Pa xcy Upmol s ter y. 



i45 



i'ig. 145 shows the cutting pattern for a swag. 
The width should be two-thirds of the length, each 
side being cut curved to the neck, and hollowed 





14."). — Pattern for Swag-. 



Fig-. 144. —Pattern for Wing. 



out. When hanging swags they should never be 
pulled tight. Both wings and swags if of light 
materials should be lined, and turnings allowed for 
when cutting out. 

A method of making stamped rosettes is indi- 
cated in Fig. 11G. These are small pieces of stuff 




Fig. 146. — Stamped Rosette. 

cut in circular pieces with the edges stamped with 
a pinking iron ; the centre is finished with a 
covered button or a button nail, which can also 
be used to fix the rosette. 
J 



146 Upholstery. 

Another method of making rosettes is shown in 
Fig. 147. A piece of stiff material or buckram is 
cut to a circular form \\ in. in diameter, and a 



/ 




\ 



Fig. 147. — Sewn Rosette. 

strip of serge or silk is cut \\ in. wide by 2 ft. 
long ; this strip is pleated in a circular shape and 
sewn to the base as illustrated. Coloured pom- 
poms are used for the same purpose, but it is best 
to buy them ready made. 

Fig. 148 shows a cheap method of making cur- 
tain bands from a strip of material, hollowed out 
at each end and stretched through two l|-in. brass 
curtain rings. Ready-made tassels, cords, bobs, 
and fringes can be purchased from any uphol- 
sterer's warehouseman. 

A design for a window drapery is shown at 




Fig. 14 8. -Curtain Band. 



Fig. 149. Here the valance is made up of trian- 
gular-shaped pallets, a suitable contrast being 
obtained by having each alternate pallet a different 



Fa ncy Up hols ter y 



*47 



colour. Each pallet is lined and face bordered 
with coloured silk or sateen cut on the cross. The 
curtains must be hung on a pole, and in measuring 
for these allow the full drop and 6 in. extra. ' The 




Fig. 140. — Window Drapery. 



curtains are shown reefed at the top ; this is done 
by stitching on the side of the curtain facing the 
room a narrow piece of tape, at a more or less 
acute angle as required. Then f-in rings are sewn 
to the tape at every 3 in. (see Fig. 150), and a soft 



148 



Upholstery. 



cotton band cord passes through these rings and 
over a small brass single pulley fixed in the corner 




Fig-. 150. — Method of Reefing Curtain. 




Fiy. 151. — Window Drapery. 



Fa nci Upholster v. 149 

of the window casing. By pulling the cord the 
curtain will be reefed. The end of the cord should 
be tasselled. The lower parts of the curtains arc 
hung with ordinary bands or chains. 

Fig. 151 is a design for window drapery with the 
pouffe introduced in the valance ; this valance is 
made up of two centre festoons, two wings, one 
at each end, two deep shoulder festoons, and three 
pouffes. A cutting pattern for a pouffe is given 
in Fig. 152 ; it is 4 in. wide at the top, 8 in. at the 
bottom, and the length of the slant side is 1 ft. 
The base is of buckram, and is bent backward to 
form a hollow cone and covered with material. 
These pouffes are tacked to the cornice or to a 
strip of wood, and may be fringed or laced, and a 




Fig-. 152. — Pattern for Pouffe. 

pretty effect is produced by hanging a cord and 
tassel from the inside of the pouffe. 

A design for portiere or door drapery is shown 
in Fig. 153. These hangings are generally cut from 
heavy textile materials, such as Utrecht velvets, 
jute tapestry, heavy printed crepes, serges, etc. 
The hanging pelmet is panelled in velvet, say 
a 4-in. border and a 12-in. centre, with a heavy 
chenille fringe on the bottom. This pelmet is 
fixed to a wood lath screwed underneath the door 
casing. For single doors one curtain is sufficient, 
and is reefed up by a cord and pulley to clear the 
floor, the heavy portiere rope and ornament 
taking no actual part in the reefing, but being 



150 Upholstery. 

loosely hung for ornament alone. They can be 
purchased ready-made in different colours. For 
folding doors, fitment arches, and deep recesses 
it is necessary to fit a curtain at each side. As 




Fig. 153. — Portiere Drapery. 

with valances, pelmets can be shaped out and 
ornamented to taste. 

Ready-made pelmets in crewel work, embroidery, 
etc., are often put into the drapers' hands to fix; 
they are generally out of square, and should be 
tacked down and well stretched on the stuffing 



Fancy Upholstery. 



151 



bench top or on a board, and left overnight, if 
possible, when they will be found to have set 
to shape. 

Bed draperies and hangings form no small part 
of the upholsterers' work in some parts of the 
country, and Fig. 154 shows the head of a Parisian 
bedstead, the details of which will apply equally 
well to Italian and Persian bedsteads. The former 
are usually of hardwood, either carved or inlaid, 
and the latter vary a little in shape at the top, 
some being semicircular, etc. In most designs 
of Parisian bedsteads the head has an iron frame 




Fig. 



-Head of Parisian Bedstead. 



with holes bored at suitable distances for fixing 
the stuffing frame. For bedsteads not so pro- 
vided a wood frame can be made rather larger 
than the space between the pillars. The sides 
can then be hollowed out to the same sweep as 
the pillars, and sprung between them when fitting 
up the stead. A few tabs fastened to the wood 
and tied round the pillars hold the frame secure. 
To stuff up a bed head, first web the space with 
German webbing, and cover with a light hessian. 
Use a very soft wool flock for stuffing, well carding 
or picking as required. No inside covers are 



J 5* 



Upholstery 



required if soft material is used. The inside squab 
is tacked on the extreme edge of the inside frame, 
as shown by the section at Fig. 155, and no allow- 
ance for tufting is needed, as the soft stuffing 




Section of Stuffed Bed Head. 



will allow the buttons, which should match the 
covering, to sink. The roll edge should be of a 
different colour from the squab, and stuffed fairly 
firm to preserve the round shape. The joints of 
the covers are hidden by a coloured cord. 

In measuring for the side curtains, take the full 
drop from the wings to the floor, and add turnings, 
and to prevent stiffness allow double the width 
of the wings for curtains and reef it in when hang- 
ing. The border and foot valances are box- 
pleated (Figs. 156 and 157) all in one piece, having, 
say, a 3-in. box-pleat and a 6-in. space. Double 
the length of material is required for box-pleat- 
ing, and the valances are fixed on a light wood 
lath, which is lashed to the bed rails. 

Two designs are given in Fig. 158 for bed-head 
panels. The panel on the left is quilted by sew- 




£_. ,:.. t^ <% ', .?,*> 



Fig. 157. 
Fig. 156. 
Figs. 156 and 157. — Box Pleating. 

ing down after stuffing, and a shoulder festoon 
is hung on the top, while that on the right is carried 
out in striped silk, left plain, and a decorated 
cardboard pocket is fixed on a suitable figured 



Fancy Upholstery. 



i53 



surround. Any of the draperies previously men- 
tioned can be hung on the top of panels or sus- 
pended from the top rails. 

Tester bedsteads require a valance which is 
cut and fixed round the canopy. If this is of 
wood, the valance and draperies can be tacked 
direct to it, but if it is of iron, have a light wood 
frame made which must slightly overhang the iron 
frame, and which can be lashed down on the top. 
In some steads holes are provided for small bolts. 
If the valance is cut very deep it should be 
weighted with lead-cored tassel bobs. 

When a piano is placed with its back facing 




Fis-. 151 



Bed Panel. 



the room it is often desirable to drape it, and 
some hints on doing so may be given. The 
piano-back drapery, Fig. 159, is fixed on a light 
wood frame, which is screwed to the wood framing 
of the piano. The centre may be of a striped 
lappet leno, and the border should be of plain or 
self-coloured material, the festoons, wings, etc., 
being added after the drapery frame is placed 
in position. Fabrics for piano-back draperies 
should be of light, open texture, so as not to 
interfere with the sound of the instrument. 

Festoon blinds (Fig. 160) have an effective ap- 
pearance when of suitable materials and properly 
hung. They should be made of the softest 



154 



Upholstery 



silk or Egyptian cotton sateen, and the appear- 
ance will be entirely spoiled with a material 
having the slightest stiffening. The festoons can 
have a width of from 10 in. to 12 in., any distance 
less making the blind pucker, and appearing 
stiff. 

Figs. 161 and 162 show the plan and front view 
of the winding arrangement for a blind, with five 
festoons and two borders, which is suitable for a 




Draped Piano. 



window 4 ft. 6 in. wide. The pulleys A are of hard- 
wood, as used for Venetian blinds, and the lines b 
are of No. 4 glace linen averaging 1 lb. a gross yd. 
These lines are passed over the pulleys and tied 
round the weight bar c, which is a piece of ^-in. 
round wrought-iron 4 ft. 6 in. long, the other ends 
of the lines passing over the pulley d, and being 
connected together at e. 



Faxcy Upholstery 



iS5 



The weight bar is covered with a piece of the 
same material as the blind, either lapped round 
or a slip-on cover. If possible, a trial should be 
made of the lines, etc., in position before the 
material is cut. The allowance for length must 
be double the net length required, and in the width 
allow 4 in. for a 10-in. festoon, and 5 in. for a 12-in. 
festoon, in addition to the borders, which are 
double. Now mark the festoon borders or tape 




Festcon Blind. 



lines and gather them up with a slip thread ; on 
these sew some narrow blind tape of a colour to 
match the blind, and at distances of 3 in. slip on 
the tape 1-in. brass blind rings. 

Leave the borders till the last, when the measure- 
ments can be checked, and the borders brought 
over to the side tapes at an even width at both 



•56 



Upholstery. 



sides. By adopting this method the width can be 
easily regulated. The top of the blind is turned 
double and tacked to the under side of the pulley 
head with the tapes and rings facing the rooms. 
The lines are then laced through the rings and 
fastened to the weight bar, and are then bunched 
together when the bar hangs level and a tassel pull 
is fixed. When wound up the lines are held by 
a cord holdfast. 
Festoon blinds are the only kind of blinds that 



r/ ...-■—--=.. — — — 




^Sir- r B^== 


iEE 


^ ~^-~ ~ ~_r~ 


^- V ^=^=^^i 


^f as =i? 


=*A 


~-~ B = 


^X 


^/S^ai 



Fig. 161.— Pulley Head. 



^^ 



%^~~ '*?r~S 



-^D 



Fig. 162.— Lines and Weight Bar. 

can be made to fit a curved window satisfactorily ; 
for this purpose the pulley head is rounded to the 
same sweep as the sash, and the weight bar is 
curved in a similar manner. For a quick sw^eep 
it may be necessary to work some of the lines 
through screw eyes to prevent them slipping off 
the pulleys. The scallopings at the bottom of 
festoon blinds should be cut out after the blind 
is reefed up on the tape lines, as by this method 
they retain their shape, the fringe being sewn on 
afterwards. 



157 



INDEX. 



A. C. Leather, 10 
Algerian Grass, 15 
Alva, Dutch, 15 

, French, 15 

■ , German, 15 

, Stuffing with, 15 

American Cloth or Leather, 10 

■ - — ■ Cracking, 10, 45 

-, Difficulty of Laying 

on, 10 

, Uses of, 10 

Angora Goat Wool, Velvet made 

from, 11 
Aprons, Upholsterers', 26 
Armchair, Changing Seat of, 86 
Banding, 18 
Bands, Curtain, 146 
Bar Seating, Covering, 89 
Bed, Feather, Case for, 103 

Head, Stuffing, 151 

Bedding, 93 (see also Mattress 

and Palliasse) 

, Cleaning, 114 

, Fillings for, 94 

, Fumigating, 114 

Bedstead, Parisian, Italian, 

etc., 151 

Work, Tabinet Silk for, 14 

Belgian Ticking, 108 

Black Wool Flocks, 17 

Blind Stitch, 40, 55, 102 

Blinds, Festoon, 153 

, Winding Arrangements for, 

154, 156 
Bolster, 104 

, Wedge, 104 

Bolt, Reilly's Chair, 34 
Brace, Rubery's Chair, 34 
Brocades, Wool, 14 
Brush, Furniture, 59 
Buttoning, 43 

Cushions, 48 

, Marking Out for, 44 

Buttons, 18 

, Mattress, 20 

Canterbury Claw Hammer, 22 

Cards, Hand, 27 

Carpet Borders, Cutting, 127 

, Fitting, 127 

, Joining Pieces of, 129 

. Laying, 127 

, Wool, 130 

, Ox-gall Soap for, 136 

, Piece, for Covering Rooms, 

126 
- — , Planning, 124 
, Removing Paraffin from, 

136 



Carpet, Removing Stains from, 
136 

, Reviving All-wool, 136 

, Stair, Laying, 132 

, , Padding, 132 

Stretcher, 130 

, Stretching, 128 

Carriage Cloth, 15 

, Cleaning, 123 

, Cost of, 10 

, Uses of, 10 

, Width of, 10 

Cushion, 91 

Case for Feather Bed, 103 
Chair (see also Easy Chair) 

Backs, Caned, Re-covering, 

116 

, Half-saddles for, 11 

Bolt, Reilly's, 34 

Brace, Rubery's, 34 

Frames, 30 

, Framing, 33 

Joints, Strengthening, 34 

, Repairing Spring-bottomed, 

117 

, Re-seating, 118 

Seat, Changing, 86 

Chair-bedstead Cushions, Cut- 
ting, 105 

Cloth, American (see American 
Cloth) 

, Carriage (see Carriage 

Cloth) 

, Cutting, 58 

— , Hair, 10 

, Railway, 14 

Cocoanut Fibre, 15 

Cord, Re-seating Chair with, 118 

Corduroy, Repp, 14 

Cot Mattress, Ticking for, 103 

Cotton Flocks, 15 

, Packing, 16 

Couch Back, Covering, 66 
, Stuffing. 69 

Coverings, 10 

, Bolster-arm, 60 

, Converting Cushion-seat to 

Spring-seat, 90 
, ■ Spring-seat to Cushion- 
seat, 90 

, Covering, 64 

, Coverings, 10 

, Cromwell, 74 

, Definition of, 60 

with English Arms, 61 

- — Frames, Joints in, 34 

with German Arms, 60, 61 

, Serpentine-back, 60 



"58 



Upholstery 



Couch, Springing, 62 

, Stitching, 63 

, Stuffing, 63 

, Upholstering, 62 

, Various Patterns of, 61 

, Webbing Spring-seat, 72 

Coverings, 9-14 

Cretonnes, 14 

Crimp Coverings, Weaving, 13 

Crockett's Leather, 88 

Curtain Bands, 146 

Cushion, Buttoning, 48 

, Carriage, 91 

— -, Chair-bedstead, 105 

, Plain-edged, for Sofa, 49 

, Seat, 47 

, Stuffing, 48 

, Tufting, 48 

Damasks, Silk, 14 

Divan Settee, Upholstering, 83 

Door Drapery, 149 

Dowel Joint, 30 

Drapery, Door, 149 

, Window, 146 

Draping Fireplace, 143 

Piano, 153 

Durran's Patent Nails, 130 
Dutch Alva for Stuffing, 15 
Dyeing Faded Leathers, 122 

Horse-hair, 10 

Easy Chair, Covering, 57 
, , Arms of, 53 

, Back of, 53 

, Springing, 51 

, Stuffing, 54 

, Stuff-over, 51 

, Webbing, 51 

English Sofa Arms, 61 
Fancy Upholstery, 141-156 
Feather Bed, Case for, 103 
Feathers, Cleaning Raw, 114 

■ Compared, 104 

Fender Stools (see Stool, Fender) 
Fenderette (see Stool, Fender) 
Festoon, Cutting Pattern for, 

142 
Fibre, Cocoanut, 15 
Fireplace, Draping, 143 
Flocks, 16 

, Black Wool, 17 

, Cotton, 15 

, Cutting, 16 

, Dressing, 16 

, Manufacture of, 16 

, Milling, 16 

, Packing Cotton, 16 

, Purifying, 114 

, Raising, 16 

, Teazed Wool, 17 

Teazer or Willey, 27 

Flock-carding Machines, 26 
Floorcloth (see also Linoleum) 

, Filling up Holes in, 139 

, Laying, 137 



Floorcloth Varnish, 139 
Footstool, 75 

, Covering, 76 

, Stuffing Top of, 76 

Frames, Bench for, 26 

, Chair, 30 

, Palliasse, 112 

-, Stuff-over, 29 

, Upholstered Furniture, 29 

Framing Chair, 33 
French Alva, 15 

Moquette, 11 

Friese Velvet, 11 ' 
Fumigating Bedding, 114 
Furniture Brush, 59 

Coverings, 9-14 

Frames, 29 

, Re-covering, 120 

, Renovating Leather- 
covered, 120 

Stuffing Materials, 15 

Gauge, Stud, 23 

German Alva for Stuffing, 15 

Box-spring Mattress, 106 

Sofa Arms, 61 

■ Webbing, 18 

Gimping Hammer, 22 
Gimps, 18, 45 

, Scroll, 18 

Goat Wool, Velvet made from, 11 
Goatskin, Leather made from, 9 
Gobelin Tanestry, 14 
Grapple Hooks, 28 
Grass, Algerian, 15 
Hair (see also Horsehair) 

Cloth, Uses of, 10 

— - Mattress, Ticking for, 101 

Seating, Cleaning, 122 

, Uses of, 10 

, Width of, 10 

Hammer, Canterbury Claw, 22 

, Gimping, 22 

Hand Cards, 27 
Hassock, Covering, 80 

, Stuffing, 79 

Hessian, 17 
Hooks, Grapple, 28 
Horse-cloth, Imitations of, 10 
Horsehair, Cleaning, 122 

Cloth, 10 

— - , Imitations of, 10 

■ , Weaving, 10 

, Curled, for Stuffing, 15 

, Dyeing, 10 

for Mattress Making, 20 

■, Preparing, for Horse-cloth, 

10 

Substitutes, 15 

, Vegetable Fibres Com- 
pared with, 15 

Irish Terries, 14 

Italian Bedstead, 151 

Joints in Chairs, Strengthening, 
34 



IXDEX. 



159 



Joints In Couch and Sofa 

Frames, 34 

, Dovetail Mortise, 32 

, Dowel, 30 

Kapok, 94 

Lace, Seaming, 47 

Leather, A. C, 10 

, American (see American 

Cloth) 
, Crockett's, 88 

Covering, Setting, 46 

, Dyeing Faded, 122 

, Morocco or Levant, 9 

Seats, Renovating, 120 

Leather-covered Furniture, Re- 
novating, 120 

Levant Leather, 9 

Linen, Black, 20 

Linoleum, Bradding Joint of, 138 

■ , Effect of Damp on, 137 

, Fixing, 140 

, Increasing Wearing Pro- 
perties of, 140 
- — - Laying, 137 

on Rough Floors, 140 

, Oak Varnish for, 139 

, Paste for Laying, 139 

, Waterproof Lining for, 138 

Lister Method of Velvet Making, 

12 
Machines . Flock-carding or 

Dressing, 26 
Mantelboard, Draping, 141 
Mattress, Blind Stitching, 102 
, Box-spring, 105 

Buttons, 20 

Case, 97 

, Stuffing, 97 

, Cased, 94 

, Cot, Ticking for, 103 

, Cutting, 96 

, Definition of, 94 

, Dimensions of, 95 

Fillings, 93 

, Flock used for, 20 

, Hair, Ticking for, 101 

, Horsehair for, 20 

■ Needle, 21 

-, Patterns of, 95 

Platform, 106 

, Purifying, 114 

, Removing Moths from, 114 

Ribbons, 19 

, Spring-framed, 109 

■ , Springing, 107 

, Stuffed Wool, 96 

, Stuffing. 108 

Materials, 95 

Stuffing-slick, 26 

Trimmings, 20 

, Tufting, 98, 99 

Twine, 18 

, Vermin Preventive for 



Mill Puff, 16 

Mohair Velvet, 11 

Moquette, Cleaning, 133 

, French, 11 

Morocco Leather, 9 

Mortise Joint, Dovetail, 32 

Moss, New Orleans, 15 

Mungo, 16 

Needle, Half-moon, 22 

, Mattress, 21 

, Packing, 21 

, Stitching-up, 21 

New Orleans Moss, 15 

Noils, 16 

Oilcloth (see Linoleum and 
Floorcloth) 

Ottoman, Definition of, 60 

Ox-gall Soap for Carpets, 136 

Packing Needle, 21 

Palliasses, 95, 110 

, Frames for Making, 112 

Panels, Bed Head, 152 

Parisian Bedstead, 151 

Pelmets, 150 

Persian Bedstead, 151 

Piano, Draping, 153 

Pile Weaving, 12 

Pillow, Cutting, 104 

, Determining Weight of, 104 

Pincers, 23 

Platform, Mattress, 106 

Plush (see also Velvet) 

, Cleaning Silk Pile, 123 

, Raising Pile of, 123 

Plushette, 11 

Pom-poms, 19 

Portiere, 149 

Puff, Mill, 16 

Railway Cloth, 14 

Regulator, Stuffing, 25 

Reilly's Chair Bolt, 34 

Repp Corduroy, 14 

Ribbons, Mattress, 19 

Roan Skins, 9 

Rocking-chair Backs, Re-cover- 
ing, 116 

Rosettes, Stamped, 145 

Rubery's Chair Brace, 34 

Rush Bottoms in Chairs, 118 

Russian Alva for Stuffing, 15 

Saddle Squares, Width of, 11 

Saddle-bag Coverings, 11 

Sateen, 20 

Scroll Gimps, 18 

Seating, Bar, 87 

Seating, Hair (see Hair Seating) 

Seats, Renovating Leather, 120 
, Upholstering, 88 

Serges, Cleaning, 123 

Settee, Covering, 83 

, Divan, 83 

, Stuffing, 81 

, Upholstering, 81 

Sewing Machine, 26 



i6o 



Up > holster y. 



Sheep Skins, Roan Skins made 

from, 9 
Silk Brocades, 14 

Damasks, 14 

Pile Plushes, Cleaning, 123 

, Tabinet, 14 

Tapestry, 14 

Skin Coverings, Distinguishing 

Real from False, 9 
Skins, Buying, 10 

, Roan, 9 

Sofa Arms, German and English, 

61 
, Covering, 68 

Coverings, 10 

Frames, Joints in, 34 

, Plain-edged Cushion for, 49 

, Re-covering, 115 

, Upholstering Cushion Seat, 

67 
Spring Web, 18 
Springing, 36 
Springs, Wire Spiral, 18 
Squabs, 47, 49 

, Carriage, 91 

, Covering, 50 

, Stuffing, 50 

, Tufting, 50 

Stair Carpets, Laying, 132 

Rods, 134 

, Spiral, Laying Carpet on 

135 
', Winding, Laying Carpet 

on, 134 
Stamped Velvet, 11 
Stitch, Blind, 40, 55, 102 
Stitching, 39 
Stitching-urj Needle, 21 
Stone Floor, Laying Linoleum 

on, 138 
Stool (see also Footstool) 

, Fender, 76 

, , Choosing Covering 

for, 78 
, , Stuffing, 78 

Seat, Upholstering Music, 

Strainer, Web, 24, 25 

Stud Gauge, 23 

Studs, Marking for, 24 

Stuffing, First and Second, 38-41 

Stuffing-stick, 25 

Suite of Furniture, 30 

Tabinet, 14 

Tapestries, Cleaning, 123 

, Silk, 14 

, Varieties of, 14 

Teazed Wools, 17 
Teazer or Willey, 27 
Terries, Irish, 14 



Terry Piles, Weaving, 12' 

Ticking for Mattress Making, 
20 
I Tools, 21, 130, 137 

Trap, Upholstering Back-rests 
of, 91 

Trimmings, Mattress, 20 
i Tuft, Obtaining Deep, 44 
, Tufting, 43, 44 

■ Cushions, 48 

J Squabs, 50 

1 Twine, 18 

Utrecht Velvet, 11 
I Valance for Tester Bedstead, 155 

Varnish for Floorcloth, 139 

Vegetable Down, 94 

Fibres Compared with 

Horse-hair, 15 

Velvet, 11 

Borders for Furniture, 11 

, Covering with, 42 

— - Covers, Cleaning Woollen, 

123 

•, Embossing, 11 

, Friese, 11 

— , Mock, 11 

•, Mohair, 11 

Pile, Lister Method of 

Producing, 12 
, Producing Pile Surfaces 

on, 11 

, Raising Pile of, 123 

, Stamped, 11 

, Utrecht, 11 

-, Weaving, 12 

, Widths of, 11 

Velveteen, 11 

Vermin Preventive, 114 

Wadding, 17 

Waterproof American Leather, 

(see American Cloth) 
Weaving Horse-hair, 10 

Velvet, 12 

Web or Webbing, 18, 34 

, German, 18 

| , Spring. 18 

Strainer, 24, 25 

White Wools, 17 

Willey or Teazer, 27 

Wilson Pile, 11 

Wilton Carpet, Removing Stain? 
from, 136 

Window Drapery, 146 

Wire Spiral Springs, 18 
: Wool Brocades, 14 

Carpets, Reviving, 136 

— - Extract, 16 

Flocks, Black, 17 

Mattress, Stuffed. 96 

, Teazed, 17 



Printed by Cassell & Company, Limited, Ludoate Hill, London, E.G. 



ENGINEER'S HANDY-BOOK. 

CONTAINING 

FACTS, FORMULA, TABLES AND QUESTIONS 

ON POWER, ITS GENERATION, TRANSMISSION AND MEASUREMENT; 
HEAT, FUEL AND STEAM; THE STEAM-BOILER AND ACCESSORIES; 
STEAM-ENGINES AND THEIR PARTS ; THE STEAM-ENGINE IN- 
DICATOR; GAS AND GASOLINE ENGINES; MATERIALS, 
THEIR PROPERTIES AND STRENGTH: 

TOGETHER WITH A 

DISCUSSION OF THE FUNDAMENTAL EXPERIMENTS IN 

ELECTRICITY, 

AND AN EXPLANATION OF 

DYNAMOS, MOTORS, BATTERIES, SWITCHBOARDS, TELE- 
PHONES, BELLS, ANNUNCIATORS, ALARMS, Etc., 

AND ALSO 

RULES FOR CALCULATING SIZES OF WIRES. 

BY 

STEPHEN ROPER, Engineer, 

AUTHOR OF 

" Roper's Catechism of High-Pressure or Non-Condensing Steam-Engines," 
"Roper's Hand-Book of the Locomotive," "Roper's Hand-Book of 
Land and Marine Engines," "Roper's Hand-Book of Modern 
Steam-Fire Engines," "Young Engineer's Own Book," 
"Use and Abuse of the Steam-Boiler," "Ques- 
tions and Answers for Engineers," etc. 

FIFTEENTH EDITION. 

REVISED AND GREATLY ENLARGED BY 

EDWIN R. KELLER, M. E., 

AND 

CLAYTON W. PIKE, B. S., 

Ex-President of ifie Electrical Section of the Franklin Institute. 



PHILADELPHIA: 

DAVID McKAY, 

1022 Market Street. 



AUG 31 tf ! 

ROPER'S 
Practical Hand -Books 

For Engineers and Firemen. 



NEW REVISED AND ENLARGED EDITION. 

HANDY-BOOK FOR STEAM ENGINEERS 

AND ELECTRICIANS. 

PRICE, $3.50. 

PRICE. 

Ropers Catechism for Steam Engineers and Electric- 
ians, $2.00 

Roper's Questions and Answers for Steam Engineers 

and Electricians, 2,00 

Roper's Hand-Boofc of Land and Marine Engines, . 3.50 

Roper's Care and Management of the Steam Boiler, 2.00 

Roper's Use and Abuse of the Steam Boiler, .... 2.00 

Roper's Young Engineers' Own Book, ...... 2.50 

Roper's Hand-Book of the Locomotive, 2.50 

Roper's Instructions and Suggestions for Engineers 

and Firemen, 2.00 

Roper's Hand-Book of Modern Steam Fire Engines, • 3.50 



DAVID MCKAY, Publisher, 

1022 Market Street, Philadelphia, Pa. 



TECHNICAL INSTRUCTION. 

Important New Series of Practical Volumes. Edited by PAUL 
N. HASLUCK. With numerous Illustrations in the Text. 
Each book contains about 1 60 pages, crown 8vo. Cloth, 
$1.00 each, postpaid. 

Practical Draughtsmen's Work. With 226 Illustrations. 

Contents. — Drawing Boards. Paper and Mounting. Draughtsmen's Instru- 
ments. Drawing Straight Lines. Drawing Circular Lines. Elliptical Curves. 
Projection. Back Lining Drawings. Scale Drawings and Maps. Colouring 
Drawings. Making a Drawing. Index. 

Practical Gasfitting. With 120 Illustrations. 

Contents — How Coal Gas is Made. Coal Gas from the Retort to the Gas 
Holder. Gas Supply from Gas Holder to Meter. Laying the Gas Pipe in the 
House. Gas Meters. Gas Burners. Incandescent Lights. Gas Fittings in 
Workshops and Theatres. Gas Fittings for Festival Illuminations. Gas Fires 
and Cooking Stoves. Index. 

Practical Staircase Joinery. With 215 illustrations. 

Contents. — Introduction : Explanation of Terms. Simple Form of Staircase 
— Housed String Stair : Measuring, Planning, and Setting Out. Two-flight 
Staircase. Staircase with Winders at Bottom. Staircase with Winders at Top 
and Bottom. Staircase with Half-space of Winders. Staircase over an Oblique 
Plan. Staircase with Open or Cut Strings. Cut String Staircase with Brackets. 
Open String Staircase with Bull nose Step. Geometrical Staircases. Winding 
Staircases. Ships' Staircases. Index. 

Practical Metal Plate Work. With 247 Illustrations. 

Contents. — Materials used in Metal Plate Work. Geometrical Construction 
of Plane Figures. Geometrical Construction and Development of Solid 
Figures. Tools and Appliances used in Metal Plate Work. Soldering and 
Brazing. Tinning. Re-tinning and Galvanising. Examples of Practical 
Metal Plate Work. Examples of Practical Pattern Drawing. Index. 

Practical Graining and Marbling. With 79 Illustrations. 

Contents. — Graining: Introduction, Tools, and Mechanical Aids. Graining 
Grounds and Graining Colors. Oak Graining in Oil. Oak Graining in Spirit 
and Water Colours. Pollard Oak and Knotted Oak Graining. Maple Graining 
Mahogany and Pitch-pine Graining. Walnut Graining. Fancy Wood Grain- 
ing. Furniture Graining Imitating Woods by Staining. Imitating Inlaid 
Woods. Marbling: Introduction, Tools, and Materials. Imitating Varieties 
of Marble. Index. 

Ready Shortly: Practical Plumbing Work. 

Other New Volumes in Preparation. 
DAVID McKAY, Publisher, 1022 Market Street, Philadelphia. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 





014 523 690 



